Not in love with your smile? Braces can help to correctly align your teeth and your bite, giving you a beautiful and confident smile. Once you have braces, whether they are just braces on top teeth or on both the top and bottom, you are sure to find that they are a big adjustment to your overall life. Traditional braces have countless tiny areas that can trap food, which can lead to the buildup of plaque and tartar.
With this in mind, it’s very important that you increase your dental hygiene during the entire process. Brush and floss after each meal and make sure that you’re using a good mouthwash. Proper oral hygiene will also help to keep your braces in good condition.
There are several other things that you can do in order to keep your braces in good shape.
Stay On Top of Your Appointment with Your Orthodontist
Once you’ve had your braces placed, you’ll need to continue seeing your orthodontist in El Dorado Hills. We understand that you’ll want to get your braces off as soon as possible. Visiting your orthodontist as instructed will ensure that everything goes smoothly.
Use a Fork and a Knife When Eating
Taking bites of food without first cutting them up into small pieces can lead to the food becoming stuck in your braces. Certain hard foods can even lead to damage to the wires and brackets of your braces. Crunchy fruits and vegetables, like apples and carrots, should always be cut into bite-sized pieces. Even burgers and pizza should be cut up into small pieces so that you can avoid the potential for damage to your braces.
Enjoy Sweets Selectively
If you’re anything like us, you have a sweet tooth or two. Our Lyons Orthodontics team encourages you to opt for sweet treats that won’t damage your braces. Chocolate is a great choice. It is soft and tends to melt quickly once you get it into your mouth. Who doesn’t love chocolate anyways?
Be Mindful When You’ve Got Braces
Dr. Ben Kacos, an emergency dentist in Shreveport, LA, adds that when it comes to braces for teens and adults alike, simply being mindful of what you’re doing can go a long way towards keeping your braces in good shape. Those habits we all have, including biting fingernails or chewing on pencils, can cause a fair amount of damage to the brackets and wires of the braces.
Not all braces require careful eating and drinking. When it comes to orthodontic solutions like Invisalign, El Dorado Hills patients love knowing that they can simply remove their aligner tray when it’s time to eat, drink and brush their teeth.
Taking care of your braces and Invisalign aligners is essential for optimal results. If you’re ready to start your Just Smile journey, contact our Lyons Orthodontics offices in El Dorado Hills or Fair Oaks. Our Lyons team will happily give you a free smile consultation on us!