It can take a while to get used to wearing orthodontics. If you have just recently started to wear them, here are a few tips which you may find helpful:
Adjust your diet
One of the biggest mistakes people make after getting braces fitted is failing to adjust their diet. This can cause a whole host of problems.
For example, continuing to consume foods that have either a sticky, chewy texture (such as toffees) or a very hard, crunchy texture (like nuts and biscotti) can damage your braces' archwire and cause it to protrude outwards towards the inside of your cheeks. This can lead to the soft tissues inside your mouth being lacerated. If these cuts are quite deep, an infection may develop. If this happens, you will need to have your braces repaired and the cut treated. You may also have to take a course of antibiotics.
As such, it is essential to make adjustments to your diet as soon as you have your braces fitted. Most general orthodontics clinics recommend that their patients avoid things like popcorn, hard fruits and vegetables (like raw apples and carrots), nuts, chewy sweets and any foods with pits (like olives, peaches, and plums).
Increase the frequency and thoroughness of your dental hygiene routine
Most dentists recommend that people brush and floss their teeth twice a day. However, if you wear braces, you will need to commit to a much more thorough and frequent dental hygiene routine.
The main reason for this is that, whilst braces can drastically improve the appearance of your teeth, they can also increase your risk of developing oral health problems, such as gum disease and permanent tooth staining. This is because tiny particles of the food that you eat can become stuck in the brace's various components and can be difficult to remove.
If they are left to fester, the plaque bacteria in your mouth will consume them and generate enamel-eroding, gum-inflaming acids that will stain your teeth and potentially lead to the development of periodontal disease.
To prevent this from happening, you should clean your teeth and your braces after every single meal (including small snacks). You should use interdental brushes, as well as a standard toothbrush and mouthwash, to remove and rinse food particles from both your teeth and brace components.
If you work outside of the home or attend school, it might be wise to invest in a travel-sized toothbrush, as well as a few compact (and, therefore, portable) packs of mouthwash and interdental brushes so that you can still keep your teeth and braces clean when you're out and about.
Contact a local general orthodontics office for more information and assistance.
Share13 August 2017
When I had my first child, I was a nervous wreck. Every book I read gave different advice, and I just wanted to be right! By the time I had my third child, some of the stress had abated. I now realised, there were tons of different perspectives on everything related to raising children including dentistry. To help parents, I have created this blog dedicated to unraveling dental myths about children. I am including posts that weigh both sides of issues such as thumb sucking, dental caries, breastfeeding, flossing and any other topic I can think of. I hope you find the information you need to unravel dental myths, but most importantly, I hope you find some peace of mind. With kids and dentistry, there can be more than one right answer, and I want you to be able to relax and go with the answer that's right for you.
