Steer Clear of Tooth Fairy Tales: Two Myth Busters for Fixed Brace Wearers
Extract the Trooth from Tooth Fairy Fiction!
get equipped
Wearing a fixed brace feels like entering a parallel universe where tooth brushing is everything. It is. But all the things you thought you knew about teeth cleaning are suddenly under question.
Here we help you:
- Learn when to use mouthwash for optimum teeth and gums protection
- Understand the risks to your teeth of some high-street toothpaste
When should I use mouthwash with braces? Just after I’ve brushed my teeth, surely?
turn your thinking on its head
No. It's tooth fairy fiction.
Just because the adverts show someone in a bathroom, doesn’t mean we should use mouthwash just after we’ve brushed our teeth!
With braces, you need all the bacteria fighting power you can get. Fluoride’s the perfect guardian when it comes to keeping your teeth strong. Most toothpastes have a higher concentration of fluoride than mouthwash. Some mouthwashes don't even contain fluoride at all! Wait, what?
Rinsing with mouthwash straight after brushing with fluoride toothpaste rinses the higher protection away.
When to use mouthwash with braces:
here comes the fact ...
Keep teeth protected with a fluoride toothpaste like VITIS Orthodontic Toothpaste and, in between brushing, swish with VITIS Orthodontic Mouthwash. It’s medical grade, don’t you know! You’ll be fluoride protected and apple-mint fresh. Swish-swoo!
Brush with toothpaste: morning, midday, before bed.
Rinse with mouthwash: mid-morning, mid-afternoon, mid-evening and after drinks other than water.
Can I brush my braces with charcoal toothpaste?
be careful what you wish for ...
No. Here’s the Trooth:
Teeth and gums in braces are more vulnerable to the effects of plaque. Teeth are also more susceptible to permanent staining. It’s why orthodontic patients become curious about the whitening properties of charcoal toothpaste. But charcoal toothpastes can be damaging to teeth, and ‘their effects on enamel abrasion should not be disregarded'. This is extra true when you’re wearing braces.
Charcoal toothpaste ‘whitens’ teeth because it is abrasive. It literally scrubs away at surface stains from tooth staining foods and drinks. But it can also scrub away at your tooth enamel. Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in your body, but let’s bust the common myth that it’s as hard as diamonds. It is not. It’s also a non-living tissue so it can’t repair itself.
Choose a Medical Grade Orthodontic Toothpaste:
brace yourself for the fact
During your treatment we recommend you brush with VITIS Orthodontic Toothpaste. Its semi-liquid texture wraps around teeth, coating them with its specialised, remineralising ingredients.
Leave thoughts of whitening teeth until your brace is removed. You can then book an appointment with the Hygienist for a scale and polish of your teeth and you’re in tip top shape to choose a whitening toothpaste. Don’t forget, many of these, like charcoal toothpastes, can be abrasive,avoid this risk by choosing a medical grade whitening toothpaste such as VITIS Whitening Toothpaste.
At Healthy Smile Pharmacy, we get that wearing braces can be like landing in the Upside Down!
now you're locked and loaded for myth busting
Get armed with the knowledge to keep your teeth in (apple) mint condition and, before too long, you’ll have that aligned smile to celebrate!
