8 Healthy Habits to Adopt While Wearing Braces

To get the most out of your orthodontic treatment, it’s important to keep up with your regular dental hygiene and make other adjustments to your routine.

If you want a beautiful, healthy smile after braces, adopting healthy habits is important to reduce the risk of treatment delays and complications. Here are eight good routines while sporting braces: keeping up with your daily brushing and flossing, avoiding sticky and hard meals, staying hydrated, and maintaining frequent appointments with your orthodontist. Following these guidelines can help you get the most out of your orthodontic treatment and keep your teeth in good shape afterward.

Keep to a Daily Brushing and Flossing Schedule

Maintaining a regimen of consistent brushing and flossing before getting braces is crucial. Food becoming lodged between the brackets and wires can cause cavities and gum disease. Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste to completely clean the chewing, biting, and front surfaces of your teeth. 

Flossing can be difficult with braces, but getting rid of food and plaque between your teeth that your toothbrush can’t reach is necessary. Use interdental brushes or a floss threader to clean between your teeth and the wires or brackets. Keep your teeth and gums healthy and your braces in good working order by brushing and flossing on a regular basis.

Spit in a Cup

Especially important for those with braces, mouthwash eliminates the bacteria contributing to foul breath and gum disease. In addition to brushing and flossing, mouthwash can help you clean the spaces between your teeth and the brackets and wires that hold them in place. The best time to use an antimicrobial mouthwash is before bedtime, but you can still reap the benefits of using it once daily. Swish the mouthwash so it may reach every crevice between your teeth and braces. Using mouthwash as part of your regular oral hygiene routine will help you maintain a clean, healthy mouth even while sporting braces.

Avoid Anything Overly Sticky

To keep your braces in good shape and your teeth from shifting out of place, it’s best to steer clear of sticky and hard foods while wearing orthodontic appliances. Hard foods like nuts and popcorn can bend or break the wires and brackets, and sticky foods like caramels and taffy can pull on your braces, loosening or breaking them. 

Such foods can also become caught in your braces, making it more difficult to brush your teeth thoroughly afterward. Make your food into small pieces and go for softer options like mashed potatoes, soups, and yogurt. If you want your braces treatment to go smoothly and produce the greatest potential outcomes, you should avoid eating sticky and hard foods.

Use a Mouth Protector

A mouth guard can prevent damage to your teeth and braces from being sustained during contact sports and other vigorous activities. When you wear a mouthguard, the impact is reduced before it can cause damage to your teeth or orthodontic appliances from a hit to the face. Your orthodontist will be able to fit you with a mouth guard that is made to fit over your braces. 

This mouth guard will keep your orthodontic treatment on track while offering the highest level of protection for your braces. Even if you don’t participate in sports, wearing a mouthguard is a good idea if you grind your teeth or clench your jaw at night. By protecting your teeth and braces from harm, a mouth guard can help you avoid delaying the completion of your orthodontic treatment.

Have Some Water

When you have braces, it’s very important to make water intake a regular habit. The risk of cavities and gum disease is decreased by using water to flush the mouth of food debris and bacteria. A dry mouth, which can cause poor breath and other oral health issues, is also prevented by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. As an added bonus, consuming water before brushing or flossing might assist in dislodging food particles lodged in your braces. Keep a water bottle on you at all times, and aim for eight glasses of water a day to ensure you stay hydrated. If you want your braces treatment to go smoothly, keeping your mouth healthy is essential.

Avoid Sugary Drinks

When wearing braces, avoid sugary liquids like soda, sports drinks, and fruit juices. These drinks’ high sugar content has been related to gum disease and tooth damage. Furthermore, sugary drinks might discolor or yellow your teeth and the clear bands on your braces. After consuming a sweet drink, it is important to rinse your mouth with water to remove any sugar that may have accumulated on your teeth and braces. Choose water or milk instead of sugary beverages to enhance your dental and general health. If you want your braces treatment to go well, it’s in your best interest to practice proper oral hygiene and limit your consumption of sugary beverages.

Keep Your Orthodontic Appointments

Maintaining good oral health while sporting braces requires routine trips to the orthodontist. When required, your orthodontist in New Jersey or wherever you live will adjust your braces and check in with you regularly to ensure your teeth are moving forward as expected. During your procedure, they will also look for evidence of cavities, gum disease, or any other oral health problems. 

If you want to get the best outcomes from your orthodontic treatment, you must keep all of your appointments and do everything exactly as your orthodontist tells you to. If you experience any pain or issues with your braces between appointments, call your orthodontist immediately. After braces treatment, regular consultations with your orthodontist are crucial to getting a gorgeous, healthy smile.

Be Patient

You must be patient when you have braces because straightening your teeth takes time. Your teeth may need some time to get used to braces. In addition, finishing treatment could take months or even years. Be patient, follow your orthodontist’s recommended oral hygiene routine, and follow any other advice they may give you. Remember that you will be rewarded with a radiant grin after all your efforts have paid off. Be bold and ask your orthodontist for help if you have any doubts or questions about your treatment. Being patient during orthodontic treatment can help you get the best outcomes possible.

Conclusion

Adopting healthy habits while wearing braces is essential for preserving good dental health and rapid and effective treatment. You may avoid setbacks and get the most out of your orthodontic treatment if you’re diligent about brushing, flossing, avoiding sticky and hard foods, keeping your mouth hydrated, and scheduling regular appointments with your doctor. Achieving a beautiful, healthy smile takes time and work, so it’s vital to be patient and follow your orthodontist’s instructions during treatment. The effectiveness of your orthodontic treatment and long-term oral health depends on your commitment to the above recommendations.

 

Wellness and Fitness

TDPel Media

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