What do you carry?

[lileepers]

I'm getting my braces put on next Thursday, and I'm trying to get together all of the stuff I'm going to need to make the experience as pleasant as possible.

I was wondering - What do you guys carry around with you on a daily basis? Any favorite products that make life in braces easier? Any tips and tricks I should know about?

Any help is appreciated, I'm so excited, but getting nervous as I get closer to my appointment! The anticipation is killing me!

[mikeg]

My favorite product would have to be my waterpik. I use it just about after each meal....

I have this one:

[MsMichelle]

I carry all of my products in a small little bag and it includes:

- Portable toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Fluoride Mouthwash
- Dental Floss
- Blue Floss Threaders
- Wax
- Small Mirror
- Chapstick (or lipgloss) most times when I finish brushing my lips feel dry

Good luck and I hope that this helps!

[MsMichelle]

oh I forgot I absolutely love the Oral B dental floss (it's kind of pricey) but it is great because it is fluffy and doesn't shred and it has these stiff little ends on it.

[abaglady]

Hi lileepers,

I have a little travel kit which has in it:

travel toothbrush
floss
floss threaders
mini toothpaste
interdental brushes in two sizes (some people call them 'proxy' brushes, I think) - one for behind my wires and the other for between my teeth
lip balm
orthodontic wax

It's about the size of a pencil case and I carry it everywhere!

Good luck next week - I see from your blog you're having spacers put in first - let me know how it goes! I am braced up to my molars at them moment but am having spacers put in between my molars on 3rd Sept for a few days before being banded.

[Denise]

In my handbag, I have a little cosmetic bag. In it, I carry a travel sized toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, elastics, dental brushes (those little ones that look like pipe cleaners), and a mirror (for putting in my elastics). I also carry Freedent gum (won't stick to dental work). For home I have all these same things, but my toothbrush is the Oral B Pulsonic Toothbrush, and the WaterPik Ultra. I try to brush every morning and night, and after each meal. If you drink soda, wait a half hour before brushing your teeth and when you drink it, try to use a straw to keep it off your teeth (because the sugar can congeal around your brackets and cause cavities on the front of your teeth. This is why you should avoid sugary foods as much as possible). I'm sure your orthodontist will help you out with all your questions! Make a list before going in, and hopefully your fears will be put to rest! Just remember, we all survived both the banding procedure, and the first few weeks of "adjusting" to your braces haha. It's not always a fun thing having braces, but the end result is going to be SO worth it!

[Sunny]

Lileepers I'm with the majority above ... make a small dental kit that you can carry with you whenever you're out of your house. Mine has -
- travel sized toothbrush
- travel sized toothpaste
- mirror
- toothpicks
- interdental brushes (the small ones)
- a container of wax

With these things in a small container, you can be confident that you have all you need to clean up after eating any time anywhere. It's important to keep things small, as you don't want to have to lug some big machine or brush with you.

Add to the dental kit ... lip balm ... essential for keeping your lips moist and making it easier for them to cope with the brackets. Plus water ... always have water with you, as this means you can drink when eating and most food will be washed away. Also the better hydrated you are, the better your body will cope with things going on in your mouth. Plus if you're away from a water supply and you need to brush ... you have the water to do it.

Good luck preparing for your big day!

[lileepers]

Thank you soooo much everyone! You guys are full of useful information!

I think I have my final list all made up, and am ready to do some shopping!

[Katie]

When I first got my upper removable brace (retainer) they gave me a small fold away toothbrush in a little case and a mini toothpaste. I didn't really carry it round with me though, most of the time I just went to the bathroom and took my retainer out and rinsed it and rinsed my mouth out with water.
On Monday I got my fixed braces and they gave me a pack with 2 toothbrushes (a normal one and a tiny circular one) some mouthwash, orthodontic wax, a mirror on a stick, disclosure tablets (you chew them and it dyes the plaque in your mouth red so you can see where to clean) and loads of leaflets about what not to eat and how to clean properly and stuff.
A mirror is always handy if you're going out, I don't always take a toothbrush and toothpaste it just depends on how long i'm going out for and stuff, and of course whether i'm eating or not.

Hope this helps!

Katie x

[josie]

Gee, I carry nothing for me and my braces when I'm out! I just rinse with water after eating and the rest waits till I get home.

[toma]

mmm I don't carry any thing just Mirror for braces to cheak if it clean or nead to clean and I usally rainse with water and use tissue to clean the front teeth if there is some remain food ..

and complete the cleaning at home

[MsMichelle]

I always carry things for my teeth, because I want to make sure that I can take care of anything that may be in my teeth. I can't stand to have that feeling of having something sticking in my teeth or my brackets.

[Sunny]

... and I hope most people care about there breath ... braces or no braces ... if food is stuck between teeth ... the smell can be revolting!

[MsMichelle]

So true Sunny... SO TRUE! It is a total turn-off no matter how good-looking you can be, bad breath is HORRID!

[mikeg]

ya Lip balm is key also.... my lips seem to get a bit more dry with the braces on.

[josie]

I just have the perspective that I make enough changes to my daily life, wearing braces, to make any more than I absolutely have to. (Like carrying a bunch of stuff I wouldn't usually and cleaning my teeth after each meal.) I haven't yet gotten anything stuck that I can't get out with my fingers or water - definitely nothing visible at the front - and I've eaten out a lot in the last month. As mentioned somewhere else on here, I don't want to brush more than twice a day as I (and my dentist) feel it's not good for my gum health. So there's not really anything extra I need to carry around. I already have a mirror in my makeup case. I guess everyone is different, but to make this bearable, I don't want to bend over backwards to accommodate braces, but to try to integrate them into my life. (By the way, most bad breath comes from old plaque - not from fresh food stuck in your mouth.) I just wanted my minimal perspective to be here, because I wouldn't want someone to feel they're not doing something right if they're not taking a bunch of stuff with them every day - do whatever makes you feel comfortable, as long as your teeth don't suffer.

[Sunny]

Josie this isn't just about plaque. I rarely brush more than twice a day, but I remove food from my teeth often when I eat. I have gaps to take care of ... and this is something I've done since I was old enough to understand about breath. Stinky breath is just not because of decay, but often to do with the last meal you ate still being there.

What I carry takes less space than a packet of cigerettes ... so I guess it's a good thing I don't smoke ... another habit that causing smelling breath!

[MsMichelle]

I agree Sunny my small bag doesn't take up any more room than my makeup bag both of which I carry all of the time. But to each their own Josie... I don't even take chances when it comes to my oral hygiene. I didn't before braces and I don't now that I have them.

[smylex]

ya Lip balm is key also.... my lips seem to get a bit more dry with the braces on.

I had this sensation, too. Fortunately, I was able to stop using it after the first few days. Don't know why that was, though.

[Sunny]

Moist lips help them cope with braces. If you find your braces have that 'scatchy' feeling, check your hydration (water) is great and that your lips have a great level of lip balm on them!