Dental braces are appliances used for straightening and alligning teeth and guide teeth to correct position. Dental braces treatment is a time consuming long term treatmnet in which wires, brackets and bands are attached to teeth to correct their position. Therefore it is very important toremember tips to take care of Dental braces properly.
Here’s a list of few tips to take care of Dental Braces to avoid and prevent tooth decay and gum diseases also.
10 Tips to Take Care Of Dental Braces
- Maintain good oral hygieneBrush your teeth twice daily and floss like a boss. Proper cleaning of teeth keeps the mouth fresh and clean and prevents caries development on teeth. With proper oral hygiene routine you can prevent food particles sticking on teeth and braces also.
- Choose proper toothpaste, toothbrush and Dental flossYour orthodontist will advise you about the type of toothpaste, toothbrush and dental floss according to the type of braces.
Toothpastes with high abrasives can damage metal braces.
For example, in case of metal braces harsh mouthwashes are not usually advised. Bright red or green colour of mouthwash discolours metal brackets and elastics.
- Regular follow up with OrthodontistIt’s also important to continue with regular visits to your dentist while undergoing orthodontic treatment. Routine checkups are necessary to spot cavities and signs of gum disease. Your dentist or hygienist may also perform frequent fluoride treatments to provide additional protection to tooth surfaces from decay while you’re wearing braces.
- Check your dietAvoid sticky, hard and fibrous food like hard nuts such as almonds or walnuts, raw or fibrous vegetables, tough meat such as steak or pork chops. you must eat soft foods that won’t irritate gums, tongue or palate.
- Don’t bite your nails, needles or pensDon’t use your teeth as tools. This means avoid biting on nails, needles, pens, pencil or other hard objects.
- Avoid fizzy, aerated and high sugary drinksAerated and fizzy drinks with high sugar content make teeth more prone to caries. Moreover colours in these drinks may discolor braces.
- Be patientOrthodontic treatment takes long time to get desired results. Therefore be patient and follow the instructions properly.
- Follow all the instructions during and after treatmentEach and every individual is different so as the teeth and jaw. Thoroughly follow all the instructions given by your dentist. Most of the cases require retainers also after full treatment to prevent relapse. So follow the advise properly.
- Broken brackets common While correcting irregular teeth forces with different intensity are applied on teeth through brackets and wires. Breakage of brackets is common. In case of any broken bracket immediately inform your dentist. Sometimes wires are tight initially and impinge. This is taken care with some medications and adjustmnets. So need not worry about this.
- Report any side effects to your dentist
Mouth ulcers and gum diseases are common side effects with braces.Some individuals also complain of pain and discomfort. Always report your discomfort or any other side effect to your dentist so that they can prescribe some medication or advice some solution to it.
