How To Care For Your Braces

Last Updated on January 20, 2019

 

How To Maintain Your Braces

If you must wear braces to straighten your teeth, then it is essential to care for the devices properly. When you aren’t maintaining the brackets and wires of your braces, it can lead to broken or dislocated devices that won’t repair your malocclusions. Having damaged braces will disrupt your treatment plan, leading to frequent visits to your orthodontist for repairs. If you want to straighten your teeth as fast a possible, then you must follow your orthodontist’s guidelines on a daily basis. Here are several ways to take proper care of your braces throughout your treatment time.

Follow the Correct Dietary Plan To Protect Your Braces

There are certain foods that you are not supposed to consume while you are wearing braces so that you won’t break the wires or brackets. While this might seem annoying, the long-term benefits of orthodontic treatment are important. Despite having restrictions of your dietary plan, there are numerous foods that you can eat, and you should make sure to ingest enough nutrients to keep your bones and teeth healthy.

Learn To Avoid Eating Certain Foods

After you begin orthodontic treatment, your mouth will hurt, and you may also salivate more as your body adjusts to having a foreign object inside the oral cavity. You should plan on eating a lot of soft foods for a few weeks to avoid having any pain while chewing food. Fill your kitchen cupboards and refrigerator with jars of applesauce, cans of soup and other soft foods. At the same time, avoid buying the foods that are restricted, including:

• Potato chips
• Popcorn
• Nuts or seeds
• Peanut butter
• Bagels
• Hard or sticky candies
• Pretzels
• Raw vegetables and fruits

There are also beverages that you should avoid drinking, including citrus juices, sport drinks or carbonated beverages that are acidic and high in sugar. Not only are these beverages bad for your teeth, but also, the sugar and acids can damage the wires or brackets of your braces.

 

Avoid Bad Habits That Can Damage Your Braces

If you have bad habits, then you will need to make some changes to protect your braces. Some bad habits that can damage your braces and teeth include chewing on your fingernails, pencils or ice cubes. In addition, you should stop smoking cigarettes or using vaping devices that can harm your oral cavity’s tissues and braces. It is vital to protect your braces and teeth with a customized mouth guard while you play sports or engage in other strenuous physical activities.

Use Proper Oral Hygiene Practices

Oral hygiene is important for everyone, but it is especially important when you wear braces. The foods that you eat can build up on the wires and brackets of braces, leading to additional bacteria that can cause cavities or gingivitis. Having food particles on your braces is unattractive, and it can lead to horrible bad breath. If you don’t practice proper brushing and flossing, then not only will you have plaque on your teeth, but also, you will have hardened debris on the brackets and wires of your braces. Follow these steps to maintain the cleanliness of your braces.

Step 1: Have the Correct Devices For Brushing and Flossing

Make sure to use the types of floss and toothbrushes that are recommended by your orthodontist. In addition to having a toothbrush and floss at home, you will want to carry these items with you to care for your teeth and braces while you are at work or school. Your orthodontists will also tell you what type of toothpaste to buy so that you don’t discolor the clear wires or ceramic brackets of some types of braces. When you like to use mouth rinses, use the brands that your orthodontist suggests to avoid degrading your braces with certain ingredients.

Step 2: Remove Elastics First

If your braces have elastics or other removable devices, then you should remove these items before brushing, flossing or rinsing your mouth. Keep these removable items in a safe location to avoid damaging the devices while you are performing oral hygiene.

Step 3: Rinse Your Mouth First

Rinse your mouth first by swishing a lot of water in your mouth or by using an oral irrigator. This will remove most of the debris from the brackets and wires of your braces.

Step 4: Brush Your Teeth Carefully

Brush your teeth carefully, making sure to use the toothbrush and toothpaste on each tooth. You should use a mirror to help you remove the food debris from each side of every tooth.

Step 5: Floss Your Teeth At Least Once a Day

Make sure to floss your teeth at least once a day, but you should use caution to avoid damaging the wires and brackets of your braces.

Step 6: Rinse Your Mouth Again

After flossing and brushing, rinse your mouth again to remove all of the loosened food debris and toothpaste. You can also use your oral irrigator again to remove any debris from your mouth.

Schedule Regular Appointments At Tisseront Orthodontics

You must continue to visit our orthodontist on a routine basis to make sure that your braces are in optimal condition. Dr. Stephan Tisseront offers a variety of types of braces to his patients, including:

• Traditional metal
• Beautiful ceramic
• Lingual devices

To schedule an orthodontic evaluation for an adult, teenager or child, contact our orthodontic facility today at 703-773-1200.