Table 4 Participants’ practicee responses.
Practice | Always | Often | Sometimes | Rare | Never |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Brush your teeth carefully and maintain good oral hygiene | |||||
1.1 Select a toothbrush featuring a compact brush head and bristles of moderate firmness, or alternatively, opt for a specialized orthodontic gap brush. P | 143 (33.18) | 142 (32.95) | 103 (23.9) | 32 (7.42) | 11 (2.55) |
1.2 Use the Bass brushing method, with moderate intensity, for 3 to 5 min each time P You can also use an electric toothbrush and a tooth rinse to improve the cleaning effect. After brushing, look in the mirror to check whether it is clean. | 92 (21.35) | 125 (29) | 116 (26.91) | 61 (14.15) | 37 (8.58) |
1.3 Brush your teeth after three meals P It is particularly important to refrain from eating after brushing your teeth before bedtime. If immediate brushing after meals is not feasible at other times, rinsing the mouth with water is recommended. | 107 (24.83) | 132 (30.63) | 119 (27.61) | 54 (12.53) | 19 (4.41) |
2. Diet | |||||
2.1 Do not eat hard or sticky food P Such as ribs, beef jerky, nuts, sticky cakes, etc. Apples, peaches, corn, etc. cannot be chewed. They can be cut into small pieces and chewed with the back teeth. | 94 (21.81) | 129 (29.93) | 118 (27.38) | 69 (16.01) | 21 (4.87) |
2.2 Eat less coffee, strong tea and other foods that are easy to stain P | 124 (28.77) | 90 (20.88) | 91 (21.11) | 75 (17.4) | 51 (11.83) |
3. Relief of pain and discomfort | |||||
3.1 If pain persists or worsens, contact your doctor promptly for examination P Experiencing mild discomfort in the teeth following initial application and subsequent follow-up visits is common. Typically, this discomfort resolves on its own within a week | 119 (27.61) | 110 (25.52) | 109 (25.29) | 67 (15.55) | 26 (6.03) |
3.2 Use orthodontic protective wax when necessary P Some patients who are wearing braces for the first time may experience “mouth grinding” of the brackets or mild oral ulcers, which can be alleviated by using orthodontic protective wax | 114 (26.45) | 91 (21.11) | 102 (23.67) | 71 (16.47) | 53 (12.3) |
4. Adhere to the instructions provided by the doctor for follow-up appointments and actively engage in the treatment process. P | 263 (61.02) | 139 (32.25) | 20 (4.64) | 8 (1.86) | 1 (0.23) |
5. Actively understand and learn oral health knowledge P | 162 (37.59) | 139 (32.25) | 96 (22.27) | 27 (6.26) | 7 (1.62) |
