“How do you brush your teeth if your jaw is wired shut?”

A small, soft, child size toothbrush is easier to use while your jaws are wired together. Brush your teeth by taking your finger and pulling out the cheek on the side that you plan to brush. Take your toothbrush and brush in and out. This helps to prevent the chance of pulling the sutures that you might have in your mouth. You should also rinse your mouth with warm salt water (one half teaspoon of salt to a large glass of warm water), then brush again until all debris has been cleared from the wires. If you have an incision in your mouth, avoid this area for the first week. If you have a waterpik available, it may be used to rinse the food out between your arch bars. Place warm water in the waterpik, set it on the lowest setting and slowly go over your arch bars, until food particles are gone. Do not forget to apply vaseline to your lips continually to prevent drying and cracking.

You brush the outside parts of your teeth. I would also recommend using a Waterpik to help blast some of the plaque off. Make sure to check with your oral surgeon if there are any other special hygiene instructions.