Protecting Your Braces
Mill Creek, WA
More than four million people in the U.S. wear braces. And since braces are the key to a more confident smile and a healthy oral cavity, it’s important to protect your braces so they can do their job effectively.
Maintain Oral Hygiene
If you are not sure how to protect your braces, maintaining oral hygiene is the safest place to start. Make sure you brush your teeth twice every day. The orthodontist may have recommended oral hygiene practices and how to do them properly with braces.
It’s important that while you are brushing, make sure you rinse your mouth with water to loosen up any food particles in your braces. Next, you need to remove the removable components of your braces before you start brushing.
Then using your brush, focus on cleaning the brackets and wires of your braces from top to bottom. You can also use interdental brushes for more effective cleaning.
You can also use floss thread to remove the smaller food particles that your brush cannot reach. Finally, to finish off, a mouthwash is always a good measure.
Know What to Eat
Another important measure that you need to take for protecting your braces is to know what to eat. As a rule, you must avoid sticky and hard foods. Some of the foods that you should avoid include nuts, gum, apples, and popcorn.
If you have habits like nail-biting, chewing on a pen or straw, know that they can damage your braces and teeth.
And while you should avoid a few types of food, there are several other food options that you can eat without worrying about your braces. Some of the foods you can include in your diet are cheese, yogurt, fruits without pits, and crackers.
Protect Your Braces with a Mouth guard
Children and teenagers need to wear a mouth guard, especially when they are playing sports. Orthodontic mouth guards protect your braces from any damage due to impact as any sporting activity may break or bend your wires and brackets, which can cause a lot of pain and discomfort.
Visit the Orthodontist Regularly
It may be the last on the list, but it’s the most crucial one. Make sure you visit our orthodontists at Sullivan Bastian at least once every four to six weeks. Moreover, never skip an appointment, and in between the visits, if something comes up, no matter how trivial it is, don’t forget to get in touch with us.
That’s How You Protect Your Braces
With these simple measures, you can protect your braces and get a step closer to a more confident smile. To learn more about orthodontic treatments, schedule an appointment with our expert orthodontists. Call us today!