It is essential to wear your plastic retainer after your braces come off.
Why do I have to wear a retainer after successful orthodontic treatment?
Retainers are designed to hold teeth in place after your braces are removed. They are usually made of wire, plastic or a combination of both.
Braces straighten teeth by applying pressure. Like a tree bending in the breeze, they usually want to return to their original position once the pressure is gone — especially with young patients who are still growing. Retainers increase muscle memory and keep teeth in place.
Retainers ensure that the results, where so much effort has been involved, are maintained over time.
Once your braces are removed, please wear a retainer to keep your beautiful Bachmannsmile.

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Charcoal Toothpaste doesn’t make the teeth black or white.
Social media is full of advertisements and endorsements for charcoal toothpaste: the latest tooth-whitening miracle product! You can barely open Instagram or read a Buzzfeed list without seeing someone recommend the wonders of charcoal for your face and teeth. Some even use it as a rinse for your hair!
The American Dental Association has not found any evidence that charcoal toothpaste is safe or effective, and it may actually harm the teeth and gums. Charcoal toothpaste is advertised as a whitening agent that can remove particles from the teeth, but this is a misleading claim.

What can we do to make you smile?
Call Candice and make an appointment at 09 448 1128
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#bachmannorthodontics #bachmannsmile

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A germ causes cavities. It can be spread while kissing & sharing food. Tooth actually decay results when bacteria in your mouth feed on food debris (starchy, sticky foods are a primary culprit) and produce acid as a byproduct. This mix of food, acid, saliva, and germs clings to your teeth as a filmy substance called plaque.

Plaque can erode teeth enamel and cause cavities to form. No matter what you eat, cavities won’t develop without the help of such bacteria. These germs can spread from mouth to mouth via shared food and utensils, sneezing, kissing, …

What can we do to make you smile?
Call Candice and make an appointment 09 448 1128
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#bachmannorthodontics #bachmannsmile

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Worse than Drinking Battery Acid

Just how horrible are these drinks for you? Here is a diagram showing the acid pH levels and teaspoons of sugar found in commonly enjoyed beverages:

Drink or Substance (12 oz. serving)	Acid pH	Tsp. Sugar
Water	7.0 (neutral)	0
Milk	6.7	1
Barq’s Root Beer	4	11
Minute Maid® Orange Juice	3.8	9
Propel® Fitness Water	3.4	1
Red Bull® Energy Drink	3.3	10
Sprite®	3.3	10
Mountain Dew	3.3	12
Diet Coke	3.1	0
Sierra Mist	3.1	10
Full Throttle Energy Drink	3	11
Diet Pepsi	3	0
Gatorade®	2.9	5
Sunkist® Orange Soda	2.9	13
Dr. Pepper	2.9	10
Vault Energy Soda	2.9	12
Mountain Dew AMP	2.8	11
SoBe Energy Citrus	2.6	12
Minute Maid® Lemonade	2.6	10
Pepsi	2.5	11
Diet Schweppes Tonic Water	2.5	0
Coca-Cola	2.4	10
Battery Acid	1	0

Notice at the bottom of the list is battery acid. Battery acid of course is not a drink, and it should never be consumed. But according to the chart, your teeth could better fight off highly destructive battery acid than some of the drinks you have every day. An eye-opener, this should help you consider your beverage consumption more seriously.

Acid and Sugar: A Vicious Combo

Acid and sugar are a two punch combination for tooth decay, erosion and infection. Acid breaks down our sensitive tooth enamel and can bore into our teeth’s crevices, causing cavities. Teeth exposed by acidic erosion are an open cesspool of bacteria that can lead to infections and extraction of teeth. Sugar, most actively sucrose, develops into plaque almost instantly once in contact with your teeth. Plaque buildup is not only unbecoming, but it is where bacteria sits and festers in your mouth. Your dental health depends on avoiding drinking acidic and sugary drinks.

What can we do to make you smile?

Enquire about braces > Book a consultation today

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Warning: Energy Drinks Affect Your Child’s Oral Health!

All energy drinks, even the sugar-free ones, contain an incredibly low pH level, which means they are highly acidic, almost as acidic as battery acid. That softens the tooth enamel, leaving your child’s teeth highly vulnerable to decay, cavities, and even tooth rot. 

Sugar: Constant exposure to sugar in energy drinks provides cavity-causing bacteria with an abundant food source. As a result, they feast, bacteria produce acids that attack and weaken the tooth enamel’s outermost layer. That is the first stage in cavity development, which, if left untreated, can continue to progress.

Don’t let your teeth get wings.

What can we do to make you smile?

Enquire about braces > Book a consultation today

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(we can not say it often enough)

Brush Your Teeth.

The best Bachmannsmile lasts only as long as you keep your teeth healthy.

It is important to brush your teeth to prevent gum disease. Refusal to brush one’s teeth for several days can lead to the onset of gum disease. Brushing ensures the removal of plaque, which is the primary cause for tooth decay and gum disease; it also arrests the build-up of any plaque formation.

Tips on Proper Brushing

Dentists say that the minimum time you should spend brushing your teeth is 3 minutes twice a day. Here are some tips on how to brush properly:

• Hold your brush at a 45-degree angle against your gumline. Gently brush from where the tooth and gum meet to the chewing surface in short (about half-a-tooth-wide) strokes. Brushing too hard can cause receding gums, tooth sensitivity, and, over time, loose teeth.
• Use the same method to brush all outside and inside surfaces of your teeth.
• To clean the chewing surfaces of your teeth, use short sweeping strokes, tipping the bristles into the pits and crevices.
• To clean the inside surfaces of your top and bottom front teeth and gums, hold the brush almost vertical. With back and forth motions, bring the front part of the brush over the teeth and gums.
• Using a forward-sweeping motion, gently brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth to remove the decay-causing bacteria that exist in these places.
• Use an egg timer or play a favourite song while brushing your teeth to get used to brushing for a full 3 minutes. Some electronic toothbrushes have timers that let you know when 3 minutes are up.

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Please, please, please, brush Your Teeth.

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Enquire about braces > Book a consultation today

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