Getting braces is a transformative experience since you will have to change your behaviors for the course of your orthodontic treatment, in addition to the fact that they will finally give you the straight, even smile you’ve always desired. No matter what kind of braces you wear, they won’t function well if you don’t adjust your oral hygiene habits. Getting your braces fitted is only the first step; to get the results you want when the braces are taken off, you also need to follow your orthodontist’s maintenance recommendations carefully. As a leading orthodontist in Albania, we have some of the best tips to help make braces maintenance simple– take a look at our guide to look after braces.
At any age, maintaining good dental health is crucial, but if you have braces good oral hygiene may help prevent tooth discoloration, safeguard the health of your gums, and eliminate foul breath. You should make an effort to wash your teeth following every meal, whenever possible. If this isn’t possible, you can try washing your mouth with water or mouthwash to get rid of food particles and plaque until you are able to use your toothbrush.
While receiving orthodontic treatment, there are several ways you may continue to take care of your teeth and braces. Some of the most important tips are:
Regardless of whether you wear braces or not, brushing is crucial, but it becomes even more crucial when receiving orthodontic treatment. Using a toothbrush with a soft head to reach those difficult-to-reach places is recommended when wearing braces since it’s much easier for stubborn food particles and plaque to become lodged in the brackets and cause issues. If you use an electric toothbrush you may continue to do so.
Holding your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle towards your gums, begin brushing at the gum line of your teeth. After cleaning the area around your gums, move your toothbrush up and down to clean the inside of your brackets and the outside. Even though most individuals only need to brush twice a day, we always advise brushing after every meal if you wear braces. One simple technique to make sure your mouth is spotless is to carry a toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste in your backpack.
Although it might be a bit of a challenge, flossing is an important part of your dental hygiene practice that you shouldn’t skip. Flossing helps in the removal of any plaque accumulation and tiny food particles trapped in your braces or in the spaces between your teeth. Try utilizing interdental brushes or floss threaders for braces if using flossing tape is difficult for you. These are available at the drugstore or supermarket, and they may be used to get around your brackets. Keep in mind to be gentle during flossing. Avoid pushing yourself too hard or moving too rapidly to avoid damaging your braces and having to visit the orthodontist again!
The majority of foods are safe to consume while wearing braces, however, your orthodontist will provide you with a list of items to avoid. Keep in mind that anything that is hard, crunchy, sticky, or chewy could be included on the list. Furthermore, you will also need to break the habit of constantly biting pen lids or biting on your nails as soon as possible! These kinds of meals and practices have the potential to bend or break the braces, which is never a good thing. Additionally, since sugary meals and beverages can discolor and deteriorate the area surrounding your brackets, you should avoid them. It won’t assist you at all if these stains are persistent and become more noticeable when the braces are taken off.
Eating healthy and avoiding certain foods is very important when it comes to keeping your teeth healthy and braces in one place. Some of the foods we would recommend you to avoid if you have braces include:
The following are some of the greatest meals to consume when wearing braces: they’re low in sugar and don’t demand much chewing:
It’s common to have some discomfort during the first week of braces; after all, your mouth is getting used to the new equipment. Eat soft meals that are simple to chew and swallow, including yogurt and steamed or boiled veggies. These meals will assist in preventing more pressure from being applied to your teeth, which may be experiencing sensitivity and tenderness.
You might feel a little uncomfortable if you’ve accidentally eaten the incorrect thing while wearing braces. Additionally, you run the danger of breaking a bracket or wire, which can necessitate a spontaneous, last-minute trip to your usual orthodontist. Unexpected trips to the orthodontist can also lengthen the duration of your treatment, which could delay the effectiveness of your braces.
Additionally, many foods that are sticky or heavy in sugar—or both—can easily become lodged in your brackets or wires when consumed while wearing braces. If not properly taken care of, this can create an unhealthy environment for bacteria and plaque to flourish and cause tooth decay and other long-term damage to your teeth.
Have you ever seen someone ask for a bottle opener, and a buddy give them a quick reassurance and use their teeth to pull the top off? I mean, it hurts to watch? Never, ever take an idea from it! This kind of use of your teeth may be quite harmful and may necessitate an urgent trip to the dentist where issues with your braces and your natural teeth may arise. Always be as careful with your braces as possible if you want to finish your treatment as quickly as possible and get your ideal smile even sooner. Breaking one or more brackets may be quite uncomfortable and may even affect how long your treatment takes. To keep your brackets intact, this means staying away from even minor things like harder meals.
Even if you’re wearing braces all the time, it’s still crucial to be active and lead a healthy lifestyle. To get the best of both worlds, you must approach this procedure thoughtfully and carefully. Most contact sports currently need mouthguards, and their importance will only increase if orthodontic treatment becomes a consideration. Should you sustain more damage than normal, the cost of repairing any damage to your bracing might quickly increase. Mouthguards are designed especially for protecting braces. They provide the best protection from any kind of touch and a little more area to completely enclose the excess space. Similar to when they fit you for a retainer, the orthodontic assistant will make a mold and have you bite down on it. After that, they will submit it to a manufacturer, who will make the mouth guard and make sure it is made precisely using the measurements they have supplied.
Throughout treatment, your orthodontist will serve as your guide; as such, you ought to take their advice and incorporate their recommendations into your daily routine. They will go over everything with you once they’ve bonded your braces, including how to take care of them and what kind of diet you should follow. But, their support and guidance don’t end there; they’ll always be there for any queries or worries you may have. During your checks, be sure to ask them anything that’s on your mind, and don’t forget that you may phone the office with any queries. They are there to ensure that your treatment proceeds without a hitch in addition to scheduling it for you!
Generally, the way your teeth and gums feel will tell you whether there is damage. Run your tongue along your braces as part of your regular orthodontic braces maintenance routine to feel for any potential misalignments. Make sure nothing appears loose or broken by taking a look in the mirror as well. Unusual pain may indicate damage to your braces, even though some soreness and discomfort are common, particularly during the first few days of wearing braces and following modifications. Make an appointment right away to consult with your orthodontist.
Because a personalized mouthguard is manufactured specifically for your mouth and braces, it is long-lasting. The best approach to safeguard your braces while playing sports is to use a mouthguard that takes those changes into account, as your teeth move frequently when you wear braces.
Orthodontic therapy can enhance your smile’s appearance and functionality. But for orthodontic treatment to be effective, teeth must be in good health. Orthodontic therapy is not excluded by gum disease; however, treatment cannot start until the disease is managed.
Plaque has places to hide because of all the brackets and cables in your mouth. Plaque is a sticky substance composed of bacteria, food particles, and saliva. When plaque adheres to your teeth and braces, it can lead to cavities, enlarged gums, foul breath, and long-lasting stains on your teeth.
For those who have braces, brushing after every meal is essential. Pieces of food can readily become lodged in braces, causing gum disease, tooth decay, and plaque. Ignoring this might lead to oral problems and treatment delays.
Throughout their orthodontic treatment, almost all patients break at least one bracket, and orthodontists are accustomed to replacing brackets for their clients. Thus, don’t worry if you or your kid has a broken bracket!
Sadly, it’s not always so simple to respond to the question, “How long do you have to wear braces?” While braces are typically worn for one to three years, orthodontic treatment is customized by design for each patient.
Foods heavy in sugar, gum that isn’t sugar-free, ice, popped popcorn and sticky sweets are some of the items that will enhance your chances of breaking your braces. Hard candy and gummy bears are further examples of foods that can damage the braces.
Generally speaking, you should wear braces for a total of 18 to 24 months. You may begin to see aesthetic changes in your teeth at that period as soon as four weeks after they are installed. On average, though, two or three months are anticipated.
