I am sure you must have come across someone with a set of dental braces and ever wondered what they were for? Growing up, I actually thought that braces were worn for fashion as they made a better appearance of the individual wearing them, their smile did speak well of them: although only a few people had this weird look.
Braces are a fact of life for a lot of kids growing up, and for adults with bad dentition or tooth problem, and the benefits of wearing them are evident in later life. They help fix crooked teeth, too close and too far apart teeth, as well as help solve under or overbites.
Braces might help in correcting tooth problems but caring for them is an important part of having them on. The better you take care of your braces, the more comfortable and effective they’ll be.
Here, we would be looking at how to care for your set of dental braces.
Brushing and Flossing with Braces
Taking care of your gum and teeth becomes more tasking with a set of braces on. It is very important to pay adequate attention while brushing or flossing to avoid damaging the wires and brackets or other injuries.
- It is advised you make use of a toothbrush with a soft head and a toothpaste with fluoride.
- Ensure you brush after every meal, as foods are more likely to get stuck in your braces thus causing build-up of plaques.
- Be gentle when you floss. Remember that too much force when flossing can damage your braces
Avoid certain foods
You are restricted to certain meals when you wear braces. Your orthodontist will give you a list of foods to avoid when you have braces on your teeth. All foods which appears to be sticky, crunchy, chewy or hard should be avoided.
Protect your braces
With or without braces you have to protect your mouth from accidents and other forms of injury. With your braces on, more care is needed. While partaking in sport or any other tasking job, you should guard your braces properly. The use of a mouth guard could be recommended.
Visit to the Dentist
Even when you do your best caring for braces, some things may break or snap. Depending on the degree of damage, ensure you see a dentist immediately.
If your wire comes loose, pay immediate attention to it by visiting your orthodontist.
Wearing braces requires paying a lot of attention to your mouth, but the results are always worth it. As it is not a thing of fashion, ensure you do your best to have them come off and get that dentition corrected, revealing that new and improved smile.
