Oral Hygiene


Having a clean mouth is important. It gives you fresh breath and a nicer-looking smile. Brushing and flossing removes a thin sticky film of bacteria that grows on your teeth. This sticky film, called plaque, is the main cause of tooth decay and gum disease.

Brushing

You will notice that it is much harder to keep your teeth clean with braces. Food becomes caught in the brackets and between your teeth. Brushing after meals and flossing will help prevent plaque from forming and should become part of your daily schedule. Use a soft toothbrush and brush at a 45-degree angle to the tooth in small circles above and below the brackets. Your toothbrush will wear out faster because of your appliances, so be sure to replace it whenever the bristles start to fray.

If plaque remains on the teeth for any length of time, it can leave a permanent white scar on the surface. A waterpik or an electric toothbrush can be a useful addition, however, please continue to see your dentist at least every 6 months for regular dental cleanings.

Eating Habits

Please do not eat hard foods, including nuts, ice, crisp taco shells, whole apples and carrots (cut them into pieces first), hard French bread crust and rolls, spare ribs, corn on the cob (cut the corn off the cob before eating) and popcorn! These foods can cause breakage of the brackets and wires. Also avoid nail-biting and pen- or pencil-chewing habits, since these can damage your braces. Do not eat sticky foods like taffy, caramels, bubblegum or sticky candy of any sort. Excessive broken appliances due to careless eating habits may result in additional charges for repair.

Flossing

Flossing with braces takes a few minutes to master, but the effort is well worth it. The first step to flossing is getting the floss under the wire that connects the braces together. A floss threader will help you get the dental floss underneath your archwires. Dental floss with a stiff end is also available. It is pre-cut and is very easy to insert underneath archwires.

Once the floss is under the archwire it can be wrapped around the tooth on one side. The floss is then pushed up toward the gum line and then pulled down toward the wire. This should be repeated four to five times to ensure all plaque is removed. Be careful not to put too much pressure on the wire as you pull down. Then wrap the floss around the neighboring tooth. Once both teeth are done, the floss is pulled out and the process repeated for the next two teeth.

Patient Testimonials

  • “I’ve waited almost 50 years to get my teeth straightened and this place is the BEST!! Appletree Orthodontics is a warm and friendly place with awesome staff! They really know how to make you feel comfortable and make the process enjoyable! Five stars is not enough…THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for giving me my smile back!”
    ─ John
  • “I'd contemplated braces my entire adult life. The last photo I had of me smiling was when I was 17 years old. I had so many fears and reservations. Thanks to Apple Tree, and their incredible staff, I can finally smile again! My only regret was waiting so long. Smiling again at age 44.”
    ─ T.P.
  • “This is our third child just out of braces! We are extreamly pleased with Appletree Orthodontics! Everyone there is welcoming and fantastic at what they do!”
    ─ Kristy S.
  • “Absolutely love and adore the entire staff! They discuss and talk with the patient about both needs and wants. They talked to me about everything! They made sure I was comfortable and happy. When I was supposed to be done I felt as if somethings weren't complete yet. When I came into my next appointment they listened and agreed. They truly are the best people to work with!”
    ─ Adrienne
  • “I love apple tree! My braces are finally off and I am beyond happy with the results! Thank you.”
    ─ GG
  • ““I had a very extensive treatment process and the entire staff was very helpful, kind and friendly every step of the way! My experience with them couldn’t have been better! I love the way my teeth came out!”
    ─ Aamelie
  • “Apple Tree is really a great place. It's an all around happy environment, and everyone is friendly. I've never waited for longer than 5 minutes for any appointment! Perfect for anyone of any age, and really helped motivate me to get my teeth straight!”
    ─ Maddie
  • “My experience at apple tree has been incredible! All of the staff is hospitable along with accommodating to every one of my wants and needs! Highly recommend to any body looking to put their kid through braces or Invisalign.”
    ─ Alex
  • “Apple Tree Orthodontic is an all around great place. The people there are fantastic. They’re always smiling always asking how your day is. I never had any bad experiences there due to the fact that they are awesome. 10/10 recommended coming here for your teeth!”
    ─ Gavin

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