Now that you have braces on, it is more important than ever to take care in keeping your teeth extra clean. We recommend that you see your family or pediatric dentist at least once every 6 months for a thorough cleaning and checkup.

Plaque can hide around the braces and if it is not effectively removed, the bacteria in the plaque can erode or decalcify tooth enamel. The decalcifications show up as white spots on teeth. These white stains are often permanent.

To make sure you have a beautiful healthy smile follow these easy steps:

• Brush carefully after every meal paying extra attention to the areas around the bands, brackets and under the wires.
• Floss and proxy brush daily.
• Use a Fluoride rinse daily.
• Decrease your intake of foods and drinks high in sugar and/or acid.

HELPFUL GUIDELINES FOR EATING WITH YOUR APPLIANCES

Our goal is to provide you with a beautiful smile. This can only be accomplished if the braces stay attached to your teeth. We do not want to interfere with your nutritional intake, but we do ask that you watch the types of foods you eat. Some types of foods are capable of breaking your bands or brackets, bending your wires (which can cause teeth to move in the wrong direction), or breaking the cement under your bands and brackets. All of these things extend treatment time.

Foods that commonly cause loose bands, brackets, and broken appliances include (but are not limited to):

HARD FOODS

1. Ice
2. Hard edges of pizza
3. Crisp French fries (soft are okay)
4. Nuts
5. All potato chips, Fritos, Doritos, etc.
6. Popcorn
7. Lifesavers
8. Peppermint Sticks
9. Carrots & Apples (but may be eaten if cut into small pieces)
10. Corn-on-the-cob (may be eaten if sliced off the cob)
11. Ribs (may be eaten if meat is sliced off the bone)
12. Chicken or other meats (ok if cut into small pieces and not
    torn from the bone with the front teeth)

STICKY AND CHEWY FOODS

1. Caramels
2. Taffy
3. Gum
4. Starburst
5. Marathon Bars
6. Milky way bars
7. Slow Poke Suckers
8. Sugar Daddy or Sugar Babies
9. Jelly Beans
10. Licorice
11. Peanut Brittle
12. Jolly Ranchers
13. Now or Laters

Frequent intake of sweet and/or acidic foods and drinks can increase your chances of getting white spots and cavities. Try to keep your intake of the following to special occasions only:

SWEET FOODS AND DRINKS

1. Cake
2. Pie
3. Candy
4. Ice cream
5. Sundae
6. Shakes, Sundaes
7. Cookies
8. Chocolates
9. Carbonated Sweet Drinks