There are a lot of memorable events in your life. Like getting your first set of braces in your teenage years. Getting teen braces can be exciting because you know that you will have perfectly straight teeth once they are removed. However, having braces can also be an overwhelming event because you need to take special care of your teeth. Here are some simple tips on how to take care of your teen braces.
Brushing and Flossing
Although regular brushing and flossing should be part of everyone’s routine, people with braces should take extra care and precaution when brushing and flossing. Since there are metal materials embedded and attached to your teeth, there are more spaces to which food can get trapped. If you do not properly brush and floss when you have braces, trapped food can cause your teeth to have stains or eventually have cavities.
When brushing your brace-laden teeth, it is better to use a soft-bristled, cone-shaped brush so that it can get in between the brackets of your braces. It would help if you brushed your teeth after every meal. However, brushing alone may not remove all the food between your teeth and braces. It would help if you also used threaded floss so that you can remove the food between your teeth and your braces’ underwire.
Remember to Remove Interarch Rubber Bands
Interarch rubber bands connect the brackets of your braces. They also attach the top brackets of the mouth to the bottom brackets. It is vital to remove these bands before eating as well as during brushing and flossing. Furthermore, you have to remember to replace these inter-arch rubber bands daily because their elasticity will wear down with constant use.
However, it would be best if you did not confuse the inter-arch rubber bands with the small ligature bands. The ligature bands are usually the colorful ones that are showing when you smile. These ligature bands connect your teeth and are responsible for slowing adjusting the alignment of your teeth.
Slice Your Food into Manageable Bite Sizes
When you have your teen braces, you should eat your food carefully. Instead of biting big on a burger, you should cut your burgers or any food into manageable bite sizes first before putting them into your mouth. Having braces may limit your capacity to chew normally, so it is better to have small amounts of food in your mouth at a time.
Visit and Listen to Your Dentist
When you have teen braces, it is essential to visit your dentist regularly. Your dentist or orthodontist will set appointments for you often during the time you have your braces on. These appointments allow your dentist to adjust your braces to straighten your teeth.
The dates that your dentist set is scientifically planned to fix your teeth to achieve perfectly straight teeth. When you miss an adjustment appointment, your teeth may not line up correctly and therefore, may result in a much worse alignment.
Be Careful with Habits
To prevent your braces’ brackets from getting loose or broken, you should be mindful of your habits, such as biting your fingernails, pens, or pencils. Try to replace your mouth habits with something else such as squeezing a stress ball or playing with fidget spinners.
Keep in mind that when you do not take care of your teen braces properly, you may end up having these braces for a much more extended time.
