BRUSHING

• Your toothbrush should have, a small head and soft bristles.
• Brush within 10 minutes of every meal and after each snack.
  If you can't brush after meals, be sure rinse with water after meals. You may want to carry a travel toothbrush with you so you can brush after meals no matter where you are.
• It is important to brush very thoroughly for at least three minutes after meals, an egg timer will help.
• Use a fluoride toothpaste.
• While brushing:
    Turn the toothbrush at an angle.
    Brush over the front and back and chewing surfaces of each tooth.
    Use slow, circular motions.
    Brush thoroughly over your braces' wires and brackets, getting between them and cleaning as much of the surface
    as possible.
    Brush your gums as well as your teeth.
    Brush the roof of your mouth and your tongue .
• After brushing, be sure and look at your teeth very thoroughly in the mirror to make sure you have removed  all the plaque on your teeth.   All the metal should be shiny and the gum should look firm, pink and healthy.
  Brush more than once at a time if necessary to remove plaque.
• A prescription fluoride should be used nightly for the duration of treatment.  This is added protection against decalcification marks.
• See your general dentist regularly, we recommend that you have your teeth cleaned no less than every 6 months.
• Redness, puffiness, or bleeding means you have to brush and floss more!!!!