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When it comes to maintaining your oral health, it is vital that you remember to brush, floss, and use mouthwash regularly. Many of us often neglect the first step in an effective oral health routine– flossing.

If you are currently going through Invisalign® treatment or wearing metal braces, flossing is even more detrimental to your dream smile and overall health. You should continue to floss regularly in order to avoid the risk of gum disease and tooth decay while your Invisalign® retainers or braces align your smile.

Some people may find it tricky to floss their teeth with braces using the traditional flossing method. Luckily, flossing techniques have greatly evolved in recent years. If traditional dental floss isn’t your cup of tea, read on to learn about other flossing tools.

 

Water Flossers

For the person who finds traditional dental floss too tricky to work with, a water flosser is an excellent choice. Water flossers work by spraying a strong blast of water towards your teeth in order to remove sugar, food, and plaque. This tool is particularly effective for cleaning around your brackets and wires.

 

How To Floss With A Water Flosser

1. Fill up your water flosser’s reservoir with room temperature water and place the tip of the flosser on the handle. Tooth Tip: For an extra deep clean, you can add antibacterial mouthwash into the reservoir!
2. Set the pressure level at low on your water flosser and press send to test the pressure level. If the pressure level is at an appropriate setting, place the water flosser in your mouth and turn it on.(If you are undergoing Invisalign® treatment, remove your retainers before cleaning your teeth).
3. Begin cleaning at your back teeth, spraying water directly at the gum line, and moving towards your front teeth. Guide the flosser slowly from your gum to your teeth. Make sure to spray around the base of each tooth and directly at your bracket if you are wearing braces.

 

Our Dentists Recommended Water FlosserS

[caption id="attachment_197" align="alignnone" width="300"] Waterpik Cordless Pearl Rechargeable Portable Water Flosser for Teeth, Gums, Braces Care and Travel with 4 Flossing Tips, ADA Accepted, WF-13 White[/caption]

$39.99

 

[caption id="attachment_198" align="alignnone" width="300"] Water Flosser Advanced, Portable Oral Irrigator Handle[/caption]

$89.99

 

Orthodontic Flosser/Floss Picks

For the person who wants a simple yet effective flossing method, look no further! Orthodontic flossers are disposable plastic tools that tightly hold floss between two arms. These handy flossers are equipped with a thin handle to effortlessly maneuver between those hard to reach spots.

How To Floss With An Orthodontic Flosser/Floss Pick

1. Hold your floss pick by the handle and position the string between your teeth towards the gumline.
2. Slide the floss in between your teeth, following a “C” motion for each tooth.
3. Be sure to rinse the flosser in between teeth!

Dental Floss

If you were an avid flosser before braces or Invisalign® treatment, then traditional dental floss may still be ideal for you! However, wearing braces or Invisalign® clear retainers means that you should be flossing more often daily. Waxed floss is ideal for those who have braces as unwaxed floss can shred and leave pieces of floss in between your teeth.

Another similar alternative to traditional dental floss is dental tape. Dental tape is flatter and thicker than dental floss, making it easier to wrap around your fingers and to get in between large spaces. Dental tape also comes waxed for safer cleaning.

 

How To Floss With Dental Floss Or Dental Tape

1. Wrap 18 inches of floss or tape around your middle fingers. Pinch the floss between your thumbs and index fingers, leaving an inch in between.
2. Keep 1-2 inches of floss in between your fingers. Use your index fingers to guide floss between your lower teeth.
3. Gently guide the floss in between your teeth in a zigzag motion. DO NOT SNAP THE FLOSS BETWEEN YOUR TEETH!
4. Slide floss up and down against the tooth and under the gum line. Floss each tooth with a clean section of floss!

 

Our Dentists Recommended Dental Floss

[caption id="attachment_199" align="alignnone" width="300"] Cocofloss Pure Strawberry Dental Floss[/caption]

$10

How Often Should I Floss?

According to the American Dental Association, you should brush at least twice a day and floss once a day. There is no exact time when you should floss as some people prefer to floss after lunch and some prefer to floss before bedtime.

 

Should I Floss Before Or After Brushing?

Contrary to popular belief, studies show that flossing first and following up with brushing is the most effective order to remove interdental plaque. The reason why this method is more effective is because flossing loosens up plaque and food. During brushing, it is easier to remove the plaque and food.

How To Floss With Braces

Although it may seem virtually impossible to floss with braces, have no fear! With practice and consistency, you’ll be a pro in no time. Flossing with braces is similar to flossing without braces, the only difference is you should thread the floss through the gaps behind your wires.

 

Schedule Your FREE braces or Invisalign consultation

Are you ready to achieve your dream smile? Mission Dental Care can help you align your smile in as little as 6 months! Schedule your FREE consultation for metal braces or  Invisalign® treatment with a Top 1% Diamond Provider today.

Getting a dental implant is a surgical procedure and everyone’s pain tolerance level is different. Therefore, what one person may perceive as pain is only a slight discomfort for another person. The general consensus about pain and dental implants is that the majority of people feel discomfort, not pain.

A dental implant is a complex procedure. Let’s take a look at what may cause discomfort:

• Some people may find that having the IV put in is uncomfortable, especially if the healthcare worker has to try more than once. If you have a fear of needles or if you have anxiety about the procedure, we can prescribe a sedative, which you take before you arrive.
• Of course, during the dental implant surgery, you will be asleep. Therefore, you will not feel any pain or discomfort at all.
• When you awake from the surgery, your mouth should still be numb. In many cases, we can give you a “block” – it is basically a 24-hour pain medication, so you will not feel any pain or discomfort at all.
• We will also provide you with a prescription for a strong pain killer, and you will most likely sleep while you are taking them. If you are still in pain, do not take more than is prescribed without calling us first. You will need someone to stay with you for 24 hours after the surgery, and they will be instructed on how to give you any prescription medication. The anesthesia tends to make people a bit loopy and forgetful the first 24 hours.
• After the first 24 hours you may feel some discomfort. The most important thing you can do is take your pain medication regularly, whether you are taking the prescription medication or an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Tylenol or Advil.
• You should not need pain medication for more than the first few days.

Most people do say there mouth is sore and they have to be careful what they eat, so it’s best to stick to soft foods. If you have any additional questions, please contact our Ontario office and speak with Dr. Jack Pai.

Now that you’re a teenager, you have a lot more responsibility and independence. Choosing high school classes and electives. Getting a driver’s license. Landing your first job. And those new responsibilities extend to your dental health as well.

• Mouthguards

If you have a mouthguard for sports or athletic activities, wear it! Whether you have an over-the-counter device or a custom fabricated guard, it won’t do you any good hiding in your locker. A mouthguard cuts down on tooth and facial injuries caused by falls, physical contact, or other accidents that might happen in your active life. And if you wear braces, ask about a mouthguard designed to fit around them. These custom devices protect your braces and your mouth.

• Gum Health

Part of adolescence is adapting to all the changes your body is going through. But an increased chance of gingivitis, perhaps caused by hormonal changes, is not something you want to adapt to. You might suspect you have gingivitis, or early gum disease, if your gums are swollen, red, bleeding, or easily irritated. Let us know about your concerns. With proper dental care (brushing, flossing, cutting down on sugars and carbs), your gums will be healthy again in no time.

• Wisdom Teeth

Your teen years might be the time that your wisdom teeth make their appearance. We could discover them at one of your visits, or you may suddenly notice new teeth emerging behind your molars. If there’s room for your wisdom teeth and they are erupting (coming in) without problems, you might be good to go. But if there’s no room, or if you have pain or infection, or if they are causing damage to the teeth next to them, extraction might be necessary. Talk to us about all your options.

• Tobacco

You’re making decisions now that will affect the rest of your life. Don’t start using tobacco products, or if you’ve started, stop before it becomes even more addicting. Quitting tobacco is one of the best decisions you will make for your health—and this includes your dental health. Studies have shown that smokers and other tobacco users suffer much higher rates of oral cancer, serious gum disease, and early tooth loss. Set yourself up for decades of better health!

Finally, remember that sticking with your dental routine—two minutes of brushing morning and night and thorough flossing each day—will keep your gums and teeth healthy throughout your teen years. And, if you have any questions about your dental health in general, or a specific dental concern, give our Ontario office a call! We’re here to work with you for a lifetime of beautiful smiles.

One of the greatest advantages to using Invisalign is that it provides maximum results with minimal impact on your everyday life. Invisalign is comfortable, easy to insert, and simple to remove. Because you can remove Invisalign aligners, you can enjoy all your favorite foods and beverages without worries about getting food stuck in the wires and brackets of traditional braces.

Eating and Invisalign

While the aligner is durable and strong, you should remove it before you eat or drink beverages, as the chewing action inside your mouth can break, crack, or distort the aligner. Even minute damage to the Invisalign tray will prevent it from aligning your teeth properly. Furthermore, eating with Invisalign in your mouth can be quite messy.

Beverages and Invisalign

Repeated exposure to hot liquids may also cause the Invisalign aligner to distort. This distortion changes the shape of your aligner in a way that will affect how it straightens your teeth. Contact our Ontario office if your Invisalign aligner has distorted after consuming a hot beverage.

Fluids can settle inside the aligner to “bathe” the teeth. Bathing teeth in acidic fluids can be especially problematic, as the acids can wear away tooth enamel. Exposure to acidic fluids is not normally a problem, as saliva neutralizes and buffers the acid then washes it away. Wearing an aligner, however, prevents the saliva from doing those jobs, increasing your risk for tooth decay.

Colored drinks may also change the color of your teeth. Most discoloration is temporary but stubborn stains may occur.

To prevent discoloration and tooth decay, brush your teeth after every meal or beverage before putting in your Invisalign aligners. If you do not have access to clean water, chew sugar-free gum to remove bacteria, acid, and food particles from your teeth. As a last resort, you may leave your aligners out for an hour or two until you can brush and floss properly. Before inserting Invisalign, rinse the aligner in lukewarm water or use the Invisalign cleaning kit.

Contact our Ontario office for more information about eating and Invisalign.