While the procedure of getting braces may seem daunting, the benefits they offer make the whole process worth the trouble.
Whether it is you or your child, who is getting the teeth braces or just got the braces, develop these healthy habits for optimal results.
1. Maintain Good Oral Hygiene
Be it metal or ceramic, braces accumulate food in places where the brush cannot reach. This can lead to cavities or stains. A lot of people go through post orthodontic dental treatment just because they couldn’t keep their braces clean.
If it is your child who is with braces, you as a parent need to supervise or help your child with the first few brushings.
Use a braces-friendly toothbrush: Invest in a toothbrush that is specially designed for braces. Such toothbrushes have bristles that can reach in between the brackets and teeth to brush off the pesky plaque build up.
Clean your braces in your teeth brushing routine: Instead of quickly brushing your teeth, take time to clean your braces too. Go light with the brush on the braces; you don’t want to break those wires and brackets.
Floss: Floss regularly to ensure that food doesn’t trap between your braces and your teeth.
2. Check Your Braces
After you are done brushing, take a minute to check to make sure your braces are intact. There should not be any loose wires or broken brackets. If you catch these things earlier, the better it is for your orthodontic progress. Also, it can save you from hurt as these loose wires or brackets can give nasty cuts on the inside of your mouth.
3. Watch out for Pain or Blisters
Braces are a foreign object in the mouth. Occasionally, you may face slight pain or ulceration after braces are placed in the mouth. That is your body trying to fight this foreign object. The pain and soreness may last for a few days or until your body gets used to it. Get a pain killer or anti-inflammatory medicine to relieve these symptoms.
4. Avoid Specific Foods
When you get braces, a diet change is essential. Braces make it difficult for
you to brush or floss the food that’s trapped. Therefore, it is important that
you eat food that is braces-friendly.
Avoid eating foods such as these:
- Crunchy or hard
- Chewy foods like pizza crust or dense bread
- Sticky foods like candy or gum
5. Stick to Your Orthodontist Follow-Up Plan
Stick to the schedule your orthodontist has chalked out for you as a treatment plan. If you don’t follow it, you take a step back in your orthodontic progress. Missing your appointments could also mean giving opportunities for cavities to form and turn small orthodontic issues into major dental work which may require additional orthodontic procedures.
Your braces work hard to correct your teeth so you can flaunt a beautiful smile. Do your part and develop healthy oral habits to ensure braces do their part.
Author Bio –
Dr. Satish Pai is an orthodontist and Ivy League trained dentist who has served as a faculty at Columbia University. He believes a perfect smile not only makes a person look great but feel great. As the founder of Putnam Orthodontics and a Partner at Rome Orthodontics, he is dedicated to providing the best orthodontic treatments to his patients. He also writes to educate people about everything orthodontics and the importance of correctly aligned teeth along with good oral health. In his free time, you can find him golfing, doing yoga or surfing, and spending time with this family.