Every part of our practice is organized into teams. We ask all of our patients to be a team player and take great care of their teeth during orthodontic treatment.
Our goal is to provide you the “MO” Smile you deserve while keeping your teeth healthy during the time it takes to make your smile great. We ask all our patients who wear braces or Invisalign® to follow the following oral hygiene regimen.
Brushing
We ask all of our patients to brush three times per day: morning, after school/work, and before bedtime. Circular motions should be used, and you should brush for at least the length of a song: two to three minutes using a fluoride toothpaste. Focus on the gum line because that is the area that most patients miss when they brush their teeth.
Brushing Techniques with Braces
Brushing with a Proxabrush
Flossing
We ask all patients to floss their teeth at least once per day (before bedtime is best because you will have the time to do it at that part of the day). Please use the floss threaders we provided you to aid you in getting under the wires of your braces. You may also use a WaterPik to aid you in cleaning under your wires and between your teeth.
Floss Threader
Fluoride Rinses
We ask our patients to use an anti-cavity fluoride rinse when they brush before bed to keep the emamel of your teeth strong during the evening.
Anti-Plaque Rinses
We ask our patients to use an anti-plaque rinse like Listerine after brushing in the morning to kill the bacteria that cause gingivitis.
Oral Irrigation
Visiting Your Dentist
It is mandatory at Macomb Orthodontics that all patients visit their dentist at least every six months for checkups and cleanings during orthodontic treatment. We don’t clean your teeth during orthodontic treatment; we just make them look pretty!
