Useful Tools

Cleaning Tools
Children's Size Soft Toothbrush: Necessary. Good dental hygiene is critical. Do what you can to avoid getting cavities over the next few weeks. The soft bristles are important because your gums and teeth may be sensitive. Its small size will also help later when you can't open your mouth very wide.

Prescription Strength Mouthwash: Necessary. Whoever you're following up with should make sure you have this. If you've never had prescribed mouthwash, don't worry. Listerine is much worse.

Wax. Necessary. Make sure to get plenty from your physician. They should have plenty lying around. I find the best way to apply it is to smash a thin, long strip with your hands and apply it to as many problem points as possible. This makes it less likely to fall off than applying small balls to each sharp point, and also goes much faster.

Some Means of Flossing: Very Important. Archbars worsen plaque buildup. It's critical to get between your teeth and around the metal when possible. There are three alternatives available to you for this:

Normal Floss. Simply fold the floss once and thread the fold through. Then, hold one end and pull the other through and floss normally, repeating under each wire as necessary.

Special Floss Tools. You can buy a FlossFish or similar product. These help to thread the floss around your wires. I have no personal experience with these; feel free to comment if you do.

Water Pick. More expensive, but very effective and easy to use. I got things out of my wires and teeth that I couldn't even see, and that rinsing and swishing with water and mouthwash didn't reveal. This gets my personal recommendation. You can still use it instead of flossing once you recover, too.

Cooking Tools
Blender: Necessary. Whatever you eat has to fit between your clenched teeth. For weeks, almost everything you consume will meet a blender before it meets your mouth.

Travel Cup, Used Jar, Thermos, Etc: Necessary. You're going to pack lunch for a while, so stock up on a few items like these. Blend as much as you can and store it ahead of time in the fridge or freezer, or blend in the morning and take it to work. Hopefully you have access to a microwave where you work. I recommend used food jars. Be warned: Some lids are more reluctant to lose their flavor than others (E.g., pickle jar lids take many washes compared to salsa, fruit jelly, cheese dip, etc.).

Food Processor: Helpful. Depending on how experimental you get with foods in the wired phase, this may be helpful. Once you reach the phase where you can open but not chew, the food processor will puree many things better than a blender. You'll appreciate not having to thin things down as much just so the blender can work with them.

Strainer: Helpful. Try to find something that isn't too fine because you may find that certain very small solids will pass between your teeth. Still, when you blend soups, some of the spices or tiny seeds may not show up until you strain them or experience difficulty with your straw. The strainer saves time later on cleanup.