In a perfect world, we would all jump out of bed ready to greet the day with a big smile and a toothbrush close at hand to clean our teeth immediately. But if you can’t even find your toothbrush before you’ve had your first cup of coffee, does it really make a difference if you brush and floss after breakfast? Perhaps! Let’s talk biology.

Normal saliva production during the day benefits our teeth and mouths in surprising ways. Saliva washes away food particles to keep our teeth cleaner. It contains cells which combat bacteria and infection. It even provides proteins and minerals to help protect our teeth from decay. But saliva production slows dramatically as we sleep, and the amount of bacteria in our mouths increases. While one of the nasty—and obvious—side effects of bacterial growth is morning breath, there is an invisible effect, which is more harmful. Bacteria in plaque convert sugar and carbohydrates into acids which attack our gums and enamel and can lead to both gingivitis and cavities.

• If You Brush Before Breakfast

Brushing and flossing first thing in the morning removes the plaque that has built up during the night and takes care of many of the bacteria who are ready to enjoy the sugar and carbs in that breakfast with you. If you brush before eating breakfast, rinse your mouth with water after your meal, floss if needed, and you are good to go.

• If You Choose to Brush After Breakfast

But if you decide that doughnut simply can’t wait, you should ideally postpone brushing for 20-30 minutes after your meal. Of course, these are minutes in which bacteria can make use of those new sugars and carbohydrates. So why shouldn’t you brush immediately after eating? Many foods and beverages, especially acidic ones such as grapefruit and orange juice, can weaken the surface of your teeth. If you rinse with water after eating and wait at least 20-30 minutes before brushing, your enamel will be “remineralized” (another benefit of saliva) and ready for cleaning.

No matter if you take a “seize the day” approach and brush first thing in the morning, or a “seize the doughnut” approach and brush soon after eating, the important word here is “brushing.” Dr. Cassy Wiggins and our Parker, CO team are happy to make suggestions as to the best morning routine for you. One thing is certain: if you give your teeth and gums two minutes of careful brushing and flossing in the morning, you can’t help but start your day off right!

Good things come to those who wait. And a beautiful, healthy smile is something worth waiting for! But if there were some way to make the orthodontic process work more quickly, that would be even better. If making your orthodontic treatment more efficient is something that might interest you, talk to us when you visit our Parker, CO office, and we’ll explain how you might be able to shorten your time in braces or aligners by using AcceleDent.

How Does Orthodontic Treatment Move Your Teeth?

Our bone cells are really doing a lot of the work! Normally, the bone tissue in our jaws holds our teeth in place very securely. As pressure is put on the teeth through braces or aligners, two things happen: tissue on one side of the tooth stretches, and tissue on the other side of the tooth compresses. Our bones react to these gradual changes by creating more bone cells where the stretching occurs, and maintaining fewer on the other side. Eventually, the bone around our teeth will reshape to create an even, attractive smile and to firmly maintain the teeth in their new positions.

How Can AcceleDent Speed Up this Process?

AcceleDent is an orthodontic device designed to increase the activity of the cells that are remodeling the bone surrounding each tooth. The AcceleDent appliance provides gentle and precise vibrations with a patented process called SoftPulseTechnology®.  When you activate the appliance, these vibrations, called micropulses, travel through the roots of the teeth into the surrounding bone. The micropulses stimulate cellular activity in the bones, leading to a faster remodeling of the bone structure and faster tooth movement.

To make things even easier for you, the third generation of AcceleDent technology, the AcceleDent Optima™, can be linked to the AcceleDent App. You can monitor your progress on the dashboard, discover motivational tools, and even share connections with family, friends and your treatment team.

If you are interested in making your best smile happen—and happen more quickly— talk to Dr. Cassy Wiggins about how much time AcceleDent might save in your personal treatment plan. Good things come to those who wait, but a good thing that comes a bit sooner than expected? Even better!

Now that you are working hard to improve your dental health and appearance with your braces, it might seem like a logical time to whiten your teeth as well. But should you go ahead with home kits or a professional whitening? The answer might be yes, but not quite yet!

Toothpaste

The easiest way to whiten teeth is regular use of a whitening toothpaste. But these do not make a major difference in tooth color and may also contain abrasives which can damage ceramic brackets and make them more likely to stain. And, whether you have metal or ceramic braces, the brackets used are bonded to your teeth. Any part of your tooth covered by a bracket will not be affected by the whitening paste. Ask our office if you are thinking of using one of these products. We will be happy to recommend the best toothpastes to use while your braces are in place.

Whitening Strips and Trays

Whiteners can be applied at home with strips or tray kits. Strips are coated with a whitening gel and then pressed around your teeth. Tray kits provide a mouthguard-like appliance, which is filled with whitening gel. But neither strips nor tray solutions will whiten any area covered by brackets. When your braces come off, there might be noticeable differences in color on each tooth. Strips are difficult to apply with braces, and trays need to be custom-designed to fit your braces and make sure they don’t disturb your orthodontic work. One size most definitely does not fit all! Finally, these whitening agents can cause tooth and gum sensitivity, especially around the time of adjustments. Many manufacturers do not recommend using their products while you have braces. Please talk to us if you are thinking of using them.

Professional Whitening

A dental professional can whiten your teeth in office for the best possible results. The most effective treatments for your unique teeth are combined with protective care of your gums and mouth. Whether this treatment is appropriate while you have braces is something we are happy to discuss.

The best way to keep your teeth bright is to keep up your regular dental routine! Brushing and flossing are more important than ever now, because plaque builds up around brackets. Avoid foods that stain teeth and rinse or brush after every meal and snack. Dr. Cassy Wiggins will show you the best way to take care of your teeth while your braces are on—and that includes the best way to keep them white and bright. Talk to us about the perfect time to whiten your beautiful smile during your next visit to our Parker, CO office. And if you have to wait a few extra days for the smile you’ve been working toward, truly, the wait will be worth it!

Congratulations! You are already on your way to your best smile now that you have decided on orthodontic treatment. And while any amount of time it takes to create your beautiful smile is worth it, the sooner that process is completed, the better. With AcceleDent®, you can actually speed up the orthodontic process safely and effectively!

What is AcceleDent?

The AcceleDent device is a hands-free, lightweight appliance that is inserted around your braces or aligners and held in place by your teeth. When you turn on the Activator, gentle vibrations, or micropulses, are sent through the teeth and their roots into the bone surrounding them. It takes only 20 minutes each day, and patients notice not only faster tooth movement, but often less orthodontic discomfort as well.

How Does AcceleDent Speed Up My Treatment?

When you have braces or aligners, slow and steady pressure is put on your teeth to move them to their desired positions. This pressure affects the bone surrounding each tooth, and the body responds by changing the shape of the bone tissue. You end up with teeth held securely in their new, aligned position by the remodeled bone. This process is also slow and steady. Changes in the bone take place on the cellular level, and gradually develop over time. The micropulses created by the AcceleDent appliance actually stimulate this cellular activity, which can lead to faster progress in the repositioning of your teeth and therefore a shorter treatment schedule.

How Safe is AcceleDent?

The AcceleDent appliance delivers precise vibrations to the teeth with a patented process called SoftPulse Technology®. These micropulses provide the gentle stimulation that increases cellular activity. The vibrations produce less force than using an electric toothbrush, and 200 times less force than we apply to our teeth with normal chewing!

AcceleDent is available at our Parker, CO office. The process has undergone numerous clinical trials, and has been shown to be safe and reliable. AcceleDent has been cleared by the FDA as a single-user prescription device, and has been prescribed to thousands of patients since it was introduced.

Our most important goal is to provide you with a beautiful, healthy smile. Talk to Dr. Cassy Wiggins about AcceleDent if you would like to explore a gentle option for achieving this goal as quickly and safely as possible.