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Removable Appliances
These should be worn 24 hours a day, even when eating. Do not eat chewing gum, sticky foods or hard foods. They are only removed for cleaning and contact sports. The exception to this rule is functional appliances. They can be removed for eating, when speech is important and playing wind instruments. Appliances must be kept in a brace box when not in your mouth to prevent damage and loss. A fee is payable for repairs and replacements. Do not attempt to repair it yourself.
Appliances should be cleaned in fresh warm water. Gentle brushing with a toothbrush and tooth paste is useful. We recommend using Retainer Brite, obtainable from reception, for additional cleaning and disinfection. Do not use bleach or other cleaning agents.
Now… Let’s cook! – Brace Friendly Recipes
Need brace friendly recipes? Download our brace friendly recipe PDF by clicking on the preview image below:
Fixed Appliances
Care of your fixed appliance is divided into two sections:
Eating – Avoid hard foods such as nuts, toffees, corn on the cob, crusty bread and raw carrots. These can damage your brace causing discomfort and delaying treatment. Also avoid sweet foods such as sweets, toffees, chocolate and ice cream but also all fizzy drinks and fresh fruit juice. These can lead to permanent damage to your tooth enamel. We advise using a fluoride mouthwash during treatment to reduce the risk of enamel damage.
Cleaning – When cleaning, your teeth and the brace should be brushed. Brushing will take a little longer than usual. Care should be taken to gently brush above, below and under the wire. This can be done with either ‘electric’ or manual brushes. Additional brushes such as interproximal and interspace brushes are useful. Disclosing agents are useful but flossing can be difficult.
Invisalign/Retainers
Invisalign aligners should be worn 24 hours a day except for eating and cleaning. Retainers are generally only worn while sleeping. These appliances should be removed gently using fingers on each side of your mouth to ease the brace out. We strongly advise that you place your brace in a brace box when not in your mouth as they are easily lost or damaged. They should be cleaned with hand warm water. They can be brushed gently with a toothbrush and tooth paste. Retainer Brite, available from reception, is useful for further cleaning and disinfection. DO not use boiling water or bleach as this will damage your brace.
