9 top tips from leading orthodontists to care for your braces

Orthodontic braces usually do not require exceptional care and maintenance. It is indeed easy to carry on with these low maintenance appliances. But once you start wearing braces there are still rooms for manoeuvring your orthodontic journey. In the following sections of the blog post let us explore few things that a patient can do to make his or her orthodontic treatment more comfortable as well as effective.

·First of all it is important to know what you can expect from your treatment

At the beginning of your orthodontic journey when you put on your braces for the first time your teeth along with the overall mouth feel little sore and tender. This is completely natural and you should not let those issues bother you explains a renowned orthodontist near me in London. While your mouth gets used to braces there will be irritation in your lips, gums and the cheeks during those initial days. This discomfort usually lasts about two weeks. After a period of two weeks as your mouth becomes used to your braces the discomfort and the irritation get cleared away automatically. But waiting for a fortnight for the irritation in the mouth to wither away is too long time. How can you keep this problem under check in the meanwhile? If the discomfort is unbearable then you should go for saltwater rinse. Even certain medicines that are available over the counter at chemist shops can give sufficient relief.

In addition to the irritation even your teeth may feel loose during the initial days of your journey on braces. There is no point in fretting over this either. Orthodontic braces are meant to loosen the teeth a little. It helps desired movement of the teeth to provide you with a beautiful and attractive smile. If the teeth are not loosened then those cannot be moved into correct positions to gift you an attractive smile. Once your teeth shift into their desired positions they will no more be loosened. Rather the teeth will be stronger as before.

·Get rid of your bad habits

When you are on orthodontic braces you have two options to choose from –

· Breaking your bad habits and

· Breaking the braces

The bad habits in this context include the following – chewing pen caps or pencil tips, biting the fingernails, chewing on ice cubes and others. Even opening beer bottles using the teeth instead of a bottle opener is considered as a bad habit. To cut a long story short if you use your teeth as a tool to accomplish any task then that is a bad habit in the ongoing context. That way you can damage your orthodontic appliances. If you carry on with those habits you may have to experience orthodontic emergency which is a costly affair.

·Brush after each meal

When you are an orthodontic patient you are expected to brush the teeth often. Dentists at the Confidental Dental Clinic in London suggest you should brush the teeth religiously after each meal. This is a tried and tested way to keep both your teeth and the gums healthy and free from diseases. Proper brushing is important to get rid of harmful plaque build-ups from the mouth. Preferably use a toothbrush that has soft bristles. Make sure to use fluoride toothpaste if your dentist has not prescribed you anything specific. Hold the toothbrush light and move it in round circular motions across all three surfaces of the teeth. You should brush for exactly 2 minutes every time. In other words each quadrant of the mouth has only 30 seconds for brushing.

· Flossing is equally important

Your dentist or orthodontist is the best person to count upon for help choose the right kind of floss for you. The professional can also provide you with the right kind of floss threader. As a result your entire flossing effort can become much simpler. Ideally you must floss every time after a time. But that takes a lot of time as well as effort. To make your task easier it is okay to floss every night before going to bed. This ensures there is no attack on your teeth and the gum during the night.

· Stick to the right diet

When you first get your braces you should stick to a diet of soft foods. This helps avoiding more pain and discomfort in the mouth. So, what kind of foods you should go for? Your options include boiled vegetable, mashed potato, and various types of soups, yogurt, pudding, smoothies and such other items. It is important to remember that when your mouth gets used to the braces at that stage you should avoid any food item that may damage the braces or get stuck between the brackets.

· The kinds of foods you should avoid

Dentists at a private oral health practice in London that offers orthodontic treatment near me suggest you must avoid the following food items while you are on any orthodontic treatment using braces –

· Sticky food items like caramels, fruit roll ups, chewing gum and others

· Crunchy foods like certain types of nuts, celeries, pop corn and others

· Chewy foods like bagels and granola bar

In addition to the ones mentioned above you must also avoid food items that need biting. The examples include apple, corn on the cob, carrots and others.

· Mouthguard is your friend

Mouthguards are common in sports. The device protects your teeth, gums as well as braces while you take part in body contact sports. Your dentist can make a customised mouthguard that fits perfectly in your mouth. A customised mouthguard is the most reliable as well as comfortable protection for your overall mouth along with braces. However do not forget that mouthguards require proper care and maintenance. You must clean your mouthguard at regular intervals.

· It is important to know when you should call your dentist

You should get in touch with your dentist or orthodontist immediately if you experience any of the following –

Loose wires or band

Unbearable pain after wearing the braces

An elastic hook is broken

When you run out of dental wax or bands

There is a damage to your braces resulting from an accident

Dentists working at a renowned orthodontic clinic near me in Wimbledon have something to add in this context. According to them while your mouth is getting used to the braces you can make use of dental wax to minimise your discomfort and inconvenience. Place a coating of wax over the wires and brackets that irritate your gums. It will give you some relief. It also prevents blisters and sores.