How to Deal With Dental Devices
Take care of your teeth., Stick to soft foods in the beginning., Avoid hard or chewy candies., Wear your rubber bands all the time., Take care of loose wires and brackets.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Take care of your teeth.
It’s easy for food to get caught in between your braces, which causes plaque build up and overall poor dental health.
Be sure to establish a good dental hygiene routine that includes brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash every day.
Brush at least twice a day, in the morning and before bed.
It’s best to brush after eating as well to avoid letting food sit in the braces.
Flossing with braces can be tricky.
Use 18 inches (about 46 centimeters) of waxed floss.
Thread it carefully under the main wire of the braces and then pass between two teeth.
Work the floss between your teeth without pulling on the arch wire.Carry a travel toothbrush to make sure you are able to brush your teeth after every meal.
Use an oral irrigator.
This device uses a stream of water to clean any bacteria or debris left in between teeth, braces, and gums.
They can also increase blood flow in the gums, which leads to an increased antibacterial protection offers by natural antibodies.
Try an interdental brush.
These brushes are designed to clean between your teeth, so they can help when you have braces.
Brushing gently with an interdental brush can help remove food from your braces. -
Step 2: Stick to soft foods in the beginning.
Your braces, unfortunately, are going to hurt for the first few weeks.
Eat foods that you can easily swallow without chewing much like macaroni and cheese, applesauce, ice cream, popsicles, and shakes, all of which will ease you into the braces.
To get in your veggies, try steaming them until they’re soft enough to chew easily.
Soft cooked rice, noodles, and seafood such as tuna and salmon are easy to chew and substantial.Eat soups if you’re having trouble chewing anything at all. , These can damage or break your braces, and also generally cause poor tooth health.
Don’t eat foods such as caramel, sticky or chunky peanut butter, hard candies, nuts, chewy candy, taffy, gummy bears, popcorn, or gum. , If your orthodontist decides you need to wear rubber bands, you need to be diligent in wearing them all the time so that your teeth will move properly.
Also, keeping your rubber bands in will prevent the hooks from getting caught in your cheeks.If your dental work is extensive, you may need headgear.
Headgear provides something to anchor your braces to, applying needed pressure to the teeth, which helps them move into the proper place.
Headgear may go around the back of your head or strap to your forehead or chin.
You must wear the gear for the set amount of time.
Usually, you need to wear it about 12 hours a day, though in most cases, you won't need to wear it the whole time you have braces on your teeth., Broken braces, loose bands, and protruding wires are all common problems that plague braces wearers.
These problems can be painful and lead to prolonged discomfort in the mouth, so it’s important to call your orthodontist.
Until you can get an appointment, you can try a few at-home remedies to alleviate pain.For a loose bracket, use orthodontic wax to temporarily reattach the brackets.
This tactic provides a cushion between the gum and bracket.If you don't have wax, you can also use a little sugar-free chewing gum as an emergency option until you get to your appointment.
For a protruding or broken wire, use the eraser end of a pencil to move it to a better position until you can see a doctor.
You can also apply orthodontic wax so that the wire doesn’t cut your gums or cheeks.Do not try to cut wire, as you may accidentally swallow or inhale it.
For loose bands, see a doctor, as these need to be re-cemented into place or replaced.
Save the band if you can for your appointment. -
Step 3: Avoid hard or chewy candies.
-
Step 4: Wear your rubber bands all the time.
-
Step 5: Take care of loose wires and brackets.
Detailed Guide
It’s easy for food to get caught in between your braces, which causes plaque build up and overall poor dental health.
Be sure to establish a good dental hygiene routine that includes brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash every day.
Brush at least twice a day, in the morning and before bed.
It’s best to brush after eating as well to avoid letting food sit in the braces.
Flossing with braces can be tricky.
Use 18 inches (about 46 centimeters) of waxed floss.
Thread it carefully under the main wire of the braces and then pass between two teeth.
Work the floss between your teeth without pulling on the arch wire.Carry a travel toothbrush to make sure you are able to brush your teeth after every meal.
Use an oral irrigator.
This device uses a stream of water to clean any bacteria or debris left in between teeth, braces, and gums.
They can also increase blood flow in the gums, which leads to an increased antibacterial protection offers by natural antibodies.
Try an interdental brush.
These brushes are designed to clean between your teeth, so they can help when you have braces.
Brushing gently with an interdental brush can help remove food from your braces.
Your braces, unfortunately, are going to hurt for the first few weeks.
Eat foods that you can easily swallow without chewing much like macaroni and cheese, applesauce, ice cream, popsicles, and shakes, all of which will ease you into the braces.
To get in your veggies, try steaming them until they’re soft enough to chew easily.
Soft cooked rice, noodles, and seafood such as tuna and salmon are easy to chew and substantial.Eat soups if you’re having trouble chewing anything at all. , These can damage or break your braces, and also generally cause poor tooth health.
Don’t eat foods such as caramel, sticky or chunky peanut butter, hard candies, nuts, chewy candy, taffy, gummy bears, popcorn, or gum. , If your orthodontist decides you need to wear rubber bands, you need to be diligent in wearing them all the time so that your teeth will move properly.
Also, keeping your rubber bands in will prevent the hooks from getting caught in your cheeks.If your dental work is extensive, you may need headgear.
Headgear provides something to anchor your braces to, applying needed pressure to the teeth, which helps them move into the proper place.
Headgear may go around the back of your head or strap to your forehead or chin.
You must wear the gear for the set amount of time.
Usually, you need to wear it about 12 hours a day, though in most cases, you won't need to wear it the whole time you have braces on your teeth., Broken braces, loose bands, and protruding wires are all common problems that plague braces wearers.
These problems can be painful and lead to prolonged discomfort in the mouth, so it’s important to call your orthodontist.
Until you can get an appointment, you can try a few at-home remedies to alleviate pain.For a loose bracket, use orthodontic wax to temporarily reattach the brackets.
This tactic provides a cushion between the gum and bracket.If you don't have wax, you can also use a little sugar-free chewing gum as an emergency option until you get to your appointment.
For a protruding or broken wire, use the eraser end of a pencil to move it to a better position until you can see a doctor.
You can also apply orthodontic wax so that the wire doesn’t cut your gums or cheeks.Do not try to cut wire, as you may accidentally swallow or inhale it.
For loose bands, see a doctor, as these need to be re-cemented into place or replaced.
Save the band if you can for your appointment.
About the Author
Kimberly Diaz
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in hobbies and beyond.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: