Three Great Ways To Survive Having Braces

Posted on: 7 February 2018

Braces are often a necessary step to a perfect smile. However, they can make your gums really tender during the process. Knowing a few ways to survive having braces will help make your time with them easier.

Use The Tools

So when you get braces, often you are given some brushes to help clean in between them. However, there are tons of tools available to you to help make your adjustments easier.

If parts of your braces are rubbing your mouth raw, you can apply wax to the parts that are bothering you. Often, you can just request this wax from your orthodontist. To use the wax, first, rinse your mouth out with salt water to help soothe the raw areas. Next, pinch off a small piece of wax and apply it to the part of your braces that's making your mouth raw. Gently pat it into place and then you're done.

You should also consider getting a dental mirror to peer around inside your mouth. This will help you spot and trouble spots. These can come in handy when cleaning, or if you need to apply wax.

Switch To Soft Foods

When your mouth is sore, you won't really want to eat. You'll want to avoid foods that are sticky, hard, or crunchy in texture. However, you won't have to give up your favorite foods. Simply changing how you prepare them will go a long way in making your mouth comfortable.

Many vegetables can be cooked in broth and pureed for a tasty soup or sauce. This will allow you to get all your vitamins without having to crunch vegetables with tender gums.

Casseroles may become your best friend. However, there are ways to convert some of your favorite foods into casseroles. Pizza may be a little too chewy for your gums, but a pizza casserole wouldn't be. There are casserole recipes out there for almost every food, so don't be afraid to search for one.

Stay On Top Of Cleaning

Be diligent about cleaning your teeth. You may think you can skip a cleaning or two, but when your braces come off you may regret it. Stains will build up around your braces if you don't clean your teeth well. Your orthodontist may be able to remove the stains, but if not, you could be left with stains around where your braces were. It can get worse than staining too. If food particles get stuck around your braces and aren't removed, it could lead to cavities.

There are a lot of ways to make life with braces easier. If you have any questions about your braces, you should talk with your adult or teenager orthodontics office. They will be able to help you make your time with braces easier. 

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Providing Children With Dental Knowledge

When my three children were young, they were all excited to go to the dentist. The dentist's office was great fun with a large fish tank and a variety of puzzle toys in the waiting room. I liked the pediatric dental office so much that I jumped at the chance when I was offered a receptionist job. Many of the children who came to see the dentist were not nearly as happy as my children. Most kids were scared and anxious, and I learned fairly quickly that the children were worried because they had no idea what to expect. The dentist at the office provided me with a set of dental tools that I could show to the children. I explained how each of the devices worked. This eased the fears, and I started this blog so parents could share dental information with their children before dental visits.