Four orthodontists reveal what they give patients to help them clean their teeth
For this month’s “Chairside,” instead of asking one orthodontist several questions, we asked several orthodontists one question: What’s in your patient hygiene kit? Here are some of the answers that we got.
Alfredo Gilbert, DDS, MS Zaragoza, Mexico
In my patient hygiene kit I always include the following items:
- toothbrush;
- toothpaste;
- dental floss;
- gel with clorhexidine (with instructions that it be used for at most 2 weeks);
- a dental mirror;
- a bottle of Plax; and
- a pack of Trident chewing gum.
I instruct my patients to chew gum after I place the brackets. In this way they feel a little less stressed and become confident that the brackets are able to resist the bite. Chewing gum also helps to keep the teeth and apparatus clean. Keep in mind that I work almost exclusively with the lingual technique, and so I have to increase my patients’ confidence.
Robert N. Pickron, DDS
Atlanta
Our patient hygiene kits contain one mesh bag filled with Sunstar Butler products:
- one ortho toothbrush;
- 12 yards of mint waxed floss;
- go-between cleaners;
- floss threaders;
- one pack of Rincinol PRN;
- unflavored wax;
- a travel cap for the toothbrush; and
- an instructional manual.
Straty Righellis, DDS
Oakland, Calif
- Toothbrush (regular and travel);
- Super floss;
- wax;
- Gel Kam; and a
- Proxibrush.
Ari Y. Krug, DMD
Lakewood, NJ
- brush;
- travel brush;
- floss;
- floss threader;
- proxy brush;
- wax;
- a mirror (I don’t know why there is a mirror—it seems like every prepackaged kit has a mirror, though); and
- for patients with transpalatal appliances we add a monoject syringe to help clean out debris.
A lot of people give out disclosing tablets. I don’t think that anyone ever actually uses these. I only give them out when we are having a hygiene problem with individual patients and they need something to reinforce their skills.
At first I was getting soft pencil cases custom printed with my logo and then stuffing them with these items. Recently I found that I wasn’t saving anything on doing my own stuffing over ordering prepacked kits (from Ulan Orthodontics) who put my logo on them for me.
For a complete list of companies offering all of these items, check out the “Products for Patients” section of our online Buyer’s Guide. |
My own childhood orthodontist (Albert Landucci, DDS, in San Mateo, Calif) gave out a WaterPik-type water irrigator. I think it is a great tool, and I have been investigating getting this for a reasonable price so I can do the same.