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Having braces will be a significant period in someone’s life since it often takes a year or two to complete. While you’re on your way to your perfect smile, there will be some important things to keep in mind to help you finish on time.
Stick to Foods that Are Easy to Eat
While the phrase “out of sight out of mind” doesn’t exactly apply to braces since they are visible, you may forget about them when you’re hungry. Keep in mind that not every type of food will be safe for your braces. You will need to stick to softer foods that are easier on your braces. Avoid foods like chewy candy, crunchy granola, or hard fruits and veggies to prevent your wires from bending or breaking and your brackets from coming loose. This will help you finish treatment on time since damaging your braces can slow down the process.
Clean Your Teeth Regularly
While this is something you should always do regardless of if you have braces or not, it’s especially important during orthodontic treatment. While straightening your teeth will help you avoid cavities in the future, the brackets and wires will make it easier for plaque and food particles to get stuck to your teeth. You should brush your teeth after every meal, and you’ll also need to floss once a day to thoroughly clean in between your teeth. If you can’t brush immediately after eating, at least rinse your mouth with plain water to help dislodge some of the food particles from your braces.
Take Care of Your Bands
If you have an issue like an underbite or an overbite, you may get interarch rubber bands that will shift your jaw in the right direction, allowing you to bite down properly once your braces are off. However, the pressure of these bands will wear down throughout the day, so you’ll need to remember to replace them roughly three times per day, or every 12 hours at the very least. Plus, you will want to remove them for meals to avoid damaging them. By keeping up with replacing your elastics at the right intervals, you will be able to finish your treatment on time.
Stay Motivated
While it may seem like there’s a lot to remember when you have braces, the most important thing to do is to keep reminding yourself of the end goal. It may be difficult to keep up with caring for your braces or cleaning your teeth often enough, but just think about how great your smile will look once you’re finished.
Plus, motivating yourself to take care of your braces will allow you to see your new smile sooner since your treatment won’t be delayed with broken brackets or teeth that are moving too slowly. Stay positive and maintain a disciplined mindset, and you’ll get the best results for your smile in the shortest amount of time.
To learn more about how to best care for your braces, schedule your free consultation at Charleston Orthodontic Specialists today!
