Retainer Maintainer Container

You need to keep your retainers safe every time you take them out, so obviously you will need somewhere to put them! Using a container will ensure that they will not get damaged or lost. Typically these are little plastic boxes that have a latch so that they can’t be easily opened.

Here are some tips to keep your retainers in good condition:

1. Never put them in a place that could get thrown away or crunched such as a napkin or pocket.
2. When you have chosen a container, either from your orthodontist or your own, write on it or on a sticker a note saying if found call this number and make it your phone number.
3. One optional tip is to have multiple containers. Put these containers in backpacks, by the dinner table, purses, etc. so no matter where you are you will have a safe place to put your retainers when you need to take them out.
4. Put brightly colored stickers on the container so it stands out better.

Follow these tips to keep your retainers safe because this is a very vital piece of equipment and you don’t want to break it!

-Erik and Amanda

Gingivitis

In this post we will be discussing some ways that dentists test for gingivitis. Gingivitis is very easy to get when you have braces because it is harder to clean as thoroughly. Some symptoms of gingivitis are bad breath, gum decay and receding gums. You especially want to avoid these conditions when you have braces since another symptom is loose teeth. (see http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/gingivitis-periodontal-disease)


When you go to the dentist there is a specific test that they will do to see whether or not your gums are swollen. Your dentist will insert a small tool in between your gum and teeth that has measurements 1,2,3 and 4 in millimeters (4 being swollen). They will test each tooth on both sides and call out the numbers. Also during this they will also make a note of whether or not your gums bleed during this. You want to have no bleeding and 1,2 or 3 mm gum lines. If you have a couple of 4’s but not all then you don’t have severe gingivitis but you need to take steps to reverse it. If you have a lot of 4’s you have gingivitis and will need to undertake treatment.

Here are some ways to reverse gingivitis if it is not very severe (as recommended by my, Amanda, dentist):
1. Brush your tongue thoroughly as a lot of plaque lives there.
2. Brush in a circular motion especially on your gums. This might be painful at first since your gums are probably swollen but after a while they will become healthy.
3. Use a mouthwash morning and night.
4. Floss twice a day (because face it most of us only floss once a day).


We hope that these will help those of you with braces to take these steps because they are also preventive of gingivitis. And with braces the last thing you want is gingivitis to ruin your straightening smile!

-Amanda and Erik

Coping Series Part 4: Enemies

If you have enemies (hopefully you don’t) they might try to use your braces as a way to get to you. As in the other coping posts you need to really ignore these people because they are only doing that since they know you will be self conscious.

Just remember that when people feel the need to put other people down, its because they themselves are insecure. Don’t let your enemies use this as ammunition against you by not taking the bait and responding to them!

Hopefully this helps!

-Amanda and Erik

Coping Series Part 3: Friends

First day with braces you will probably see your friends. They will of course notice that you got braces especially since you probably told them! Usually your friends will be supportive of you since after all most of them probably have/had braces at some point.
But sometimes they will have different reactions such as:

Teasing: You might get the usual name calling from your friends but they will probably not mean it. Everyone gets a hard time when they get braces (we did from our friends!) but they don’t mean any harm by it.

Encouraging: Most of your friends will probably have had braces so they will understand what you are going through.

Jealous: You will usually get a lot of attention your first day, people exclaiming “Wow you got braces!” and such. Some of your friends might get a bit jealous. So if some of them seem upset just remember that if they are jealous they will get over it after the excitement dies.

We hope this helps prepare or explain some of the reactions you might get!

-Amanda and Erik