Braces aren’t as terrible as you might think them to be. A lot of kids and teenagers have to grow up with them. In fact, nowadays, braces do not just come in gray metallic bands – they come in sparkles and multihued bands too. Talk about having a really gleaming smile, huh? But your retainers, wires, rubber bands, braces have lots of minuscule spaces that attract and store food remnants and cause plaque formation. Therefore, taking care of your braces is a real ordeal. Do not get intimidated though. These simple procedures will help you have a beautiful gleaming smile and let you have shiny braces.
-
Food Precautions
You can eat almost every type of food with braces, provided that you aren’t eating huge chunks. Avoid having foods that are hard though; this may cause the wires and the bands to break.
-
Chop apples, carrots into tiny pieces.
-
Avoid eating corn from the cob.
-
Popcorn, nuts, pretzels should also be avoided.
-
Avoid sticky caramel, taffy, fruit bars, and cornflakes.
-
Absolutely no chewing upon ice and bubble gums!
-
Floss and Brush Your Teeth
After every meal, the teeth should be brushed with fluoride toothpaste and proxabrush. This type of brush is specifically designed to clean the tiny spaces between the teeth. Make it a point to floss once a day with orthodontic floss. Ask your orthodontist to show you how to carefully floss your teeth with braces. Take a look in the mirror and ensure that no tiny particles are left behind.
-
Play Sport with Mouth Protections
Having braces does not mean that you cannot participate in sports. You just need to take precautions when playing sports in which there is a chance of falling down and getting hit on your jaws. In such games, you must wear a comfortable mouthguard made up of durable plastic.
-
Make Use of Pain Relievers and Wax
The brackets and wires are tightened at each visit, and this exerts pressure on your teeth. This causes a degree of pain. You will have to eat soft, easily chewable foods, and perhaps even take pain relievers as prescribed by your doctor. The hard braces can rub the inside of your mouth which may cause irritation. When this happens, wax can be applied to the wires (readily available from the pharmacy or your orthodontist).
-
Retainer Care
Disinfect your retainers by soaking them in a particular denture cleanser. Make a solution of the cleanser with warm (not hot) water. Rinse with simple water before fixing them in the mouth again.
-
Canker Sores, Broken Wire and Brackets
Protruding wires, loose or broken bands, and wires are problematic. Set up an appointment with your dentist and get the problem fixed. If any severe facial injury affecting the mouth occurs, immediately see your dentist. Some people may develop canker sores because of retainers and braces. Heal the sores by applying a corticosteroid ointment.
Visit Spring Cypress Dentist to have new braces fixed or fix the wires and brackets that are causing pain damaging your smile.