Braces are a common, often costly, and time-consuming corrective treatment used for straightening teeth and fixing issues like an overbite. While they are sometimes used purely for cosmetic purposes, there exist cases where they are necessary for medical reasons. For example, teeth that are so crooked their owner is experiencing difficulty or pain chewing is more than a simple aesthetic problem. Those with severe overcrowding that prevents them from properly maintaining oral hygiene may also require measures like braces or retainers. Braces impart many advantages besides prettier smiles, including better overall mouth health and security against jawbone degradation. However, teeth with them also require more care than teeth without them. If you choose or have chosen to obtain braces from an orthodontist Queen Creek AZ there are steps you can take to ensure you are maintaining your teeth and braces adequately.
1. Brush More Often
It is considered normal to brush teeth two or three times a day. However, because braces are harder to clean around, and crumbs and other food debris tend to get stuck in them, promoting plaque growth, it is imperative that you brush them after eating, regardless of whether you have had a snack or a meal. It is also important to floss and brush around each bracket and along the gumline. A floss threader or flosser may ease the process of flossing around the wires. Visit https://www.rileydentalgroup.com/ for more information on how to maintain a good cleaning process with braces on.
2. Avoid Certain Foods
Some foods are known to damage braces and are to be avoided. While your orthodontist has probably or will provide a more complete list of forbidden edible items, in general, you should stay away from:
- Sticky food like bubble gum and caramel
- Hard food like peppermints or other hard candy
- Food that requires biting into like apples and corn on the cob
- Crunchy food like popcorn or chips
- Excessively chewy food like licorice or gummy candy
3. Wear a Mouthguard When Participating in Sports
Sports, especially contact ones like football, are associated with some physical risk. Even in non-contact sports, there is the possibility of an incident like getting hit in the face with a ball occurring. Braces can make this more painful by pressing into the sides of the mouth and the lips, but using a mouthguard when participating in such activities can remove this downside by shielding these sensitive areas.
4. Use Utensils When Consuming Finger Foods
Pizza, burgers and other traditional finger foods can easily become stuck in and around brackets and wires. Using forks and knives to eat them can help reduce the chances of this happening.
Braces can be a major adjustment. They require a little extra effort, but they pay off in the end.
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