How to care for your braces
The progress of a patient’s dental treatment plan depends on how well they take care of all the components that make up their fixed teeth-correcting instrument: wires, brackets, rubber bands and hooks. This does mean that patients are required to make the extra effort to learn good oral habits and take the time to ensure the device is thoroughly cleaned. Any food particles left behind after cleaning can have disastrous consequences for the patient’s teeth, gums and will compromise treatment results. In the event of your braces in Berkshire becoming damaged or breaks, patients are advised to contact us at Old Windsor Dental as soon as possible for repairs to be made. The following care tips and guidelines for wearing orthodontic devices will help make wearing them more comfortable, prevent them from becoming damaged and keep teeth clean and healthy.
- Follow dietary recommendations
Patients are often unaware of the impact the types of foods they consume can have on their teeth and damage caused to orthodontic devices. Patients on teeth-correcting treatments are restricted from consuming certain foods and beverages. In the early stages of the treatment it is best for patients to stay away from hard foods that can not only damage metal components of teeth-correcting instruments, but can exacerbate the discomfort of sore teeth and gums. Sticky foods and foods that are a challenge to chew pose a risk to rubber bands and brackets and can force wires out of alignment.
- Keep dental wax on hand
Dental wax is a product designed to protect gums and ease the pain of wearing dental devices. It is also a miracle fix for covering protruding wires and loose brackets to prevent further injuries to gums and inner cheeks. Dental wax can effectively be applied to the metal parts of dental devices as a short term repair measure until they can be properly repaired by a professional dental practitioner.
- Brush teeth more than twice a day
Patients should take care to brush their teeth after every meal or snack. Every time you eat, small pieces of food get trapped in between the metal components found in some types of dental devices and removing these food particles as soon as possible becomes a key concern. The longer they remain behind in the mouth, the higher the risk of dental problems causing complications. Rinsing your mouth with water after meals is another good idea if you don’t have a toothbrush with you. Brushing teeth offers another benefit too – it can provide relief from pain and pressure from having devices adjusted throughout treatment.
Need a consultation for braces in Berkshire? Make an appointment at Old Windsor Dental today and take a proactive stance towards your dental health.
Ensure that your dental treatment to align teeth correctly is smooth and as comfortable as possible. The best way is to follow all guidelines from your dental practitioner and remember to treat dental devices with care. Patients generally wear teeth-correcting devices on average for 12 to 18 months which is why it is essential that you take care to protect their longevity and your oral health.
