Tips for a Smoother Braces Journey
Austin, TX – If you have started your smile journey with braces, congratulations! You’ve taken a major step in improving your dental health and creating a healthier, more beautiful smile. Dr. Silvana Gonzalez offers several ways to help you on your braces journey.
Here are six tips for a smoother braces experience:
Know what you’re getting into.
It’s important to fully understand what will happen during your time in treatment. Your initial adjustment period will be the most challenging time as your mouth gets used to what is going on. It can take a few days to adjust, but there are some ways you can alleviate any initial discomfort:
- Eat soft foods. Yogurt, smoothies, soup, mashed potatoes, and ice cream are all good choices in the first day or two. Foods you don’t have to chew much can help from putting too much pressure on your teeth.
- You will experience some discomfort, but an over-the-counter pain reliever can help. Take acetaminophen if necessary. Avoid ibuprofen if possible.
- Orthodontic wax is your friend. The inside of your mouth will need time to get used to the brackets and wires. While this is happening, use orthodontic wax over any parts of your appliance that might cause irritation.
Follow your orthodontist’s instructions on what you can and cannot eat.
We know getting braces is a big commitment and the idea of saying no to some of your favorite foods while in treatment is less than appealing, but your orthodontist isn’t being mean, this advice is to protect your teeth and braces! Foods that are too hard, sticky, crunchy, or chewy can damage not only your teeth, but your brackets and wires as well. Cutting your food into small, bite-sized pieces can also help with protecting those brackets.
Take proper care of your smile.
Maintaining proper oral hygiene is always important, but it becomes especially so while in braces. Your brackets and wires create hard to reach spaces for food debris to get stuck, which can cause irritation and lead to oral health issues such as cavities or gum disease. Follow these tips to keep your smile healthy:
- Brush! Brush at least twice a day, but after every meal if possible. This will help ensure no debris is left behind.
- Floss! Flossing can be daunting with braces, but there are a lot of tools to help. A floss threader is a valuable tool to help get the floss easily under your wires.
- Waterpik! Consider adding a Waterpik to your care routine. Waterpik’s use a stream of water to clean your teeth and can be especially helpful to remove debris stuck in brackets or at the gumline.
- Hydrate! Drink plenty of water. This will ensure that debris gets washed away and is especially important if you can’t brush right after eating.
- Be ready! Having the tools you need handy all the time can ensure you can care for your smile while at work, school, or on the go. Have your PSO on-the-go care kit with you at all times!
Know what to do if you experience discomfort.
Unfortunately, no braces experience is without a bit of discomfort along the way. After your regular appointments it can be helpful to rinse with warm saltwater to help reduce inflammation and soreness. You can also take acetaminophen, if needed.
Attend all scheduled appointments.
We know everyone leads busy lives and fitting one more thing in can seem impossible. But it’s crucial to keep all of your orthodontic appointments to ensure your treatment is progressing as it should and to address any issues or concerns you may have.
Stay positive.
Don’t let wearing braces get you down. Instead of focusing on the things you can’t do or the foods you can’t eat, keep the end goal in sight. Remember that the hard work you are putting in today will have amazing results in the end, and when you’re enjoying your beautiful, properly functioning smile, any bumps along the way will have been well worth it.
Living with braces is an adjustment. It takes patience and dedication, but the end result is a properly functioning, straighter smile that will boost your confidence and improve your oral health. By understanding what life will be like in braces, your journey can be smoother and more enjoyable.
If you have any questions or concerns about your braces journey, call Pure Smiles Orthodontics today at 512-215-2520.