Every year, we are asked
numerous questions about how to deal with our orthodontic appliances in
preparation for Pesach. This seems like a very reasonable concern. After all,
what could be more critical to clean for Pesach than something that is placed
in the mouth? It would be a shame to go through all the trouble of replacing
garbage cans and boiling doorknobs and then insert a retainer filled with
challah in your mouth during the Pesach Seder.
I must
first stress that this purely a dental article, not a halachic guide. I should
also add that an informal survey of rabbis with whom I have had the privilege
to discuss these issues over the years has encouraged me to alleviate patients’
concerns about pre-Pesach dental preparation as opposed to alarming patients
about potential concerns.
In that
spirit, we can address some of the most common pre-Pesach scenarios from an
orthodontic perspective.
Rule 1: Don’t boil your retainers. This
might seem obvious, but you would be amazed by how relevant this bit of advice
is. A year does not go by that I don’t have to replace retainers that have been
boiled for Pesach. Retainers should never be worn while eating, and are
therefore extremely unlikely to require anything more than basic cleaning. Most
orthodontic offices will have an ultrasonic cleaner if you would like your
retainers cleaned. Otherwise, one can “burn out” the accumulation of debris in
their retainer by mixing a tablespoon of white vinegar in a glass of water,
soaking the retainer in it for eight to ten hours, and then rinsing it off.
While it is not necessary to do this, it is nice to go into Pesach with a
fresher, cleaner feeling.
Rule 2: Don’t boil your braces. This a safety
public service announcement. It is true that orthodontic brackets are made of
stainless steel, but the heat necessary to transfer “taste” in and out of steel would
likely burn your mouth, so don’t even think about “kashering” your
brackets for Pesach.
Rule 3: Keep it clean. Even if it is not
necessary from a halacha perspective, it is a good policy to reinforce oral
hygiene in preparation for Pesach. This is especially true for patients with
braces. Being careful about hygiene through orthodontic treatment helps avoid
inflammation of the gums, bracket debonding, and cavities. Thus, it is a very
good idea to make sure that there are no food particles between and around your
braces. Food can collect behind your wire and behind the “wings” of your braces
but not under the bracket itself. The most common area to store food is between
your bracket and your gums, so make sure to lift your lip when inspecting for
food debris.
The best
tools for cleaning the braces are still a standard, soft-bristle toothbrush and
floss. Make sure your toothbrush is a soft type and in good
condition. In general, your toothbrush or power toothbrush head should be
changed frequently since the brackets on your teeth will quickly wear out the
bristles. The American Dental Association recommends replacing your brush every
three months, so getting a new one for Pesach is a great idea.
For extra
assistance, you might want to use the inter-proximal brush or specialized
orthodontic floss picks. These tools will help access areas between your
brackets that can be hard to reach with a toothbrush.
Maintaining
proper oral hygiene is much easier, but no less important, for Invisalign
patients. Again, it is not necessary to change your aligners for Pesach as the
aligners are not worn during eating, but timing your aligner wear so that you
can “graduate” to a new aligner just in time for Pesach will have you entering
Pesach with a cleaner, fresher feeling. Remember, one of the biggest
advantages of having straight teeth is that a well balanced smile is easier to
clean and thus healthier. Pesach cleaning is a great opportunity to get into
better oral hygiene habits.
Wishing
all of our patients a Pesach filled with good health and happy smiles!
