We sat down with Dr. Andre Baptiste from Baptiste Orthodontics and asked him for tips and useful information during the “Stay at Home” order for patients while orthodontics and dental offices are closed.
– Dr. Andre Baptiste:
During this period that we are not able to see you for your scheduled appointments, dental health and dental hygiene is even more important. Please use these tips to help you during this time. Take extra time brushing & flossing. Do this at least 2-3 times a day. Make sure you brush before you go to sleep so that no food particles remain on your teeth during the night. If you have not been flossing, this is a good time to start. Floss carefully between the teeth, going in and out between the wires and brackets. Use mouthwash or rinse to help kill any other germs that are on your teeth, gums and tongue.
Loose brackets are not considered an emergency, unless they have caused your wire to get loose and poke the gums. We are unable to treat you for loose brackets at this time. You can use wax on your brackets to hold it in place.
Be extra diligent about the types of food you eat. Many times loose brackets occur when you bite down on hard food. Remember that the recommended types of food you should be eating while wearing braces are: soft, easy to chew, not sticky and not full of sugar. Stay away from pop corn, hard candy, pizza or bagels (they require lots of chewing), caramel.
For aligner patients (Clear Correct or Invisalign) – continue to use your trays as directed. Once you get to the last tray, wear it for the recommended time and once it starts feeling loose just wear it at night.
Continue to use the rubber bands. If you see or start noticing something unusual while wearing your rubber bands, you can discontinue using them for the time being. There will be no harm in not using the rubber bands during this time. We want to make sure all our patients are progressing during the time we are not able to bring you in for your appointments.
If you are experiencing an orthodontic emergency, pain from a loose wire that is poking you, please contact our office via our Web Chat on our website or call our emergency number 407-451-6446.
We are only able to see patients for orthodontic emergencies. We can also try to guide you over the phone on how to cut the wires with a sanitized nail clipper.
We understand you will have concerns about your treatment during the time our offices remain closed due to the Covid-19 closure mandate. However, your treatment will not be compromised or extremely delayed during this time. As soon as we are able to re-open, we will contact you to re-schedule any missed appointments and will resume your treatment.
Baptiste Orthodontics is also pleased to be able to offer Virtual Consults. If you are interested in a Virtual Consult contact them via their Web Chat on their web site www.baptisteorthodontics.com to schedule a time. This is a safe and easy way to have Dr. Baptiste or Dr. Nelson give you a recommended course of treatment.
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