Top Tips For Wearing Braces

At the end of orthodontic treatment, you will have a beautiful smile and better oral health. However, to get to that point and make sure you get good results, you want to give your smile the intention it deserves. Life with braces doesn’t need much extra effort, but there are some things that you should keep in mind to keep them in good shape and keep you comfortable.

Keep Your Eyes On The Prize

Stay motivated throughout your treatment for teeth shift or other issues by thinking of what your smile will look like when you’re finished. You could take some before selfies to remind you of how far you’ve come.

Trust The Process

Trust that you will get used to the feeling of your braces or aligners very quickly. The first day of having braces can feel a bit strange. Your mouth won’t be quite sure what to make of all the brackets and wires, so you might produce extra spit at first and swallow a lot. This should go away within about an hour or so. Any changes in your speech due to the braces or aligners should also go away in a day or two. 

Combat The Pain

Getting braces put on doesn’t hurt. However, for a few days afterward, after following adjustments, or when you are wearing a new set of aligners, your teeth might be sensitive. Drink ice water or a cold smoothie to help numb your mouth. Eat soft foods, such as yogurt, soup, mashed potatoes, or Jell-O, until you feel ready to go back to your regular diet. You could also take an over-the-counter, non-aspirin pain reliever if you need to. 

Be Prepared For Irritation

When you are still getting used to your braces, you might experience lip and cheek irritation due to the brackets and wires. Once your mouth has toughened up and got used to the braces, which should happen in the first week, this won’t be a problem anymore. If you are struggling with irritation, mix one tablespoon of salt into a glass of warm water and swish it around in your mouth to soothe it. Repeat this as often as you need to. You can also dry off the part of your appliance that is causing the problem and stick a piece of dental wax over it to act as a barrier. 

Learn Basic Repairs

If a bracket comes loose or a wire starts poking you in the cheek, you can move the bracket back into place and just push the wire that is poking you out of the way with the eraser end of a pencil or a cotton swab, or you could carefully cut off the excess wire sterilized nail clippers. Cover the bracket or leftover wire with dental wax as a temporary fix until you can make an appointment with an expert like this professional Dentist in keene. Call your dentist or orthodontist so they can let you know if you will need to come in for a repair appointment.