Newly braced and have a couple of questions.

[Braces47]

I was braced with ceramic top and bottom on September 1 and so far not too bad. However, I still have a lisp and am having a hard time flossing around the metal brackets on my molars. Any suggestions on how to improve and/or eliminate the lisp? Can anyone recommend a technique for flossing around the metal brackets?

[Lovespain5]

The ortho had given me a special toothbrush like this.

Ask him for more informations about this toothbrush.

[megz0501]

When i first got my braces on i had a little bit of a lisp too. It went away after I got used to the braces. I have ceramic on top and metal on bottom though. I've also noticed I spit more when I talk now and if I say a word with too many 'S' in it, then I sound ridiculous. As far a cleaning around brackets, get a brush like the above mentioned. For flossing I bought Plackers brand ortho piks. They're made specifically for braces. Hope this helps!

[djspeece]

I also used an interdental brush, dipped in Listerine (for no particular reason other than it sounded like a good idea). I never once flossed in three years. Consult the thread. "Confess Your Orthodontic Sins" for additional detail

[EWUgal15]

I also used an interdental brush, dipped in Listerine (for no particular reason other than it sounded like a good idea).

I did this too. I felt like it cleaned the brackets better than brushing alone. I coupled it with flossing because I'm super paranoid about cavities.

[alabamaashley]

A waterpik is probably the best investment for braces.

We already had one for the bathroom but I checked the mail yesterday and Amazon (my fiancé) had brought me a cordless one to keep in my purse. Truly a lifesaver.

[bez]

I got frustrated trying to thread regular floss around the brackets and it was very time consuming so now I use orthopicks. After some getting used to I got the hang of it and now it only takes me a minute to floss. And here's the rest of my gear! Happy flossing

[Bracingmyself33]

My routine:

(1) Gargle with water
(2) Use interdental brush with toothpaste between brackets
(3) Floss with tape (I find them more sturdy to go through the archwire)
(4) Brush with regular toothbrush
(5) Gargle with mouthwash

Seems lengthy but I'm paranoid over cavities! I used to take a long time but it's under 5 minutes now.. No complains from my orthodontist thus far!

[autumnl]

A waterpik is, in my opinion, the single best gift you can give your newly braced self So amazing at getting the bits out of all the new nooks and crannies. It used to take me about 20 minutes to clean my teeth- got it down to no more than 5-7 tops. It gets easier with practice. I use the floss that has the stick part at the end (sorry I can't think of the name). Comes in a box- super easy to put up through the wires. As your teeth start moving- flossing some parts will become easier, some harder.

[Ziggy]

Never seen Plackers before, but I have the same flossers in a different brand and they work pretty good. That said, the Waterpik is amazing. I got one when I got my braces and you wouldn't believe the stuff that comes flying out of my mouth even after brushing and flossing.

[Beckett]

Word of caution about the Plackers floss picks...they only fit through half of my spaces. Some are still just too dang tight. If your bracket profile is low then the wire might sit too close to the teeth and there just isn't room. Also, you can't move it much even if you can get it in there, so you end up flossing every tooth with the same tiny space of floss. They're handy, but don't work very well for me.