The reason you get braces is ultimately to take care of your teeth. Whether it stems from confidence, or a focus on dental health, caring for your teeth is important to ensure that your treatment goes as well as possible. Follow these tips to take care of your teeth after getting braces.
Reduce the Pain and Discomfort
During the first few days after getting braces, it’s normal to feel some pain and discomfort. There are a lot of new things happening in your mouth, and your teeth have already begun to shift. This constant pull at your teeth can be a bit difficult to get used to, and many complain of some pain and discomfort. However, there are ways to reduce these uncomfortable sensations. First, keep orthodontic wax on you to apply to any areas that may be bothering you. This acts as a barrier between the metal braces and the inside of your mouth. Second, it can be a good idea to take over-the-counter pain medication during the first few days of treatment. The pain should fade in a few days. If you find yourself still dealing with pain after a week or two, speak with your orthodontist to make sure everything’s okay.
Be Careful What You Eat
Because of the pain and discomfort you’ll experience during the first few days of having braces, it’s important to be careful what you eat. In general, when going through braces treatment, it’s important to avoid especially hard or sticky foods as they can damage your braces. In the first few days, though, even your favorite foods might be hard to chew. You should eat soft foods like mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables after getting braces. Soft foods don’t put any extra pressure on your teeth while they’re getting used to braces. While you’re experiencing the pain of the first few days of braces, stick to soft foods, and cold foods that make chewing easier. Once your pain starts to go away, you can reintroduce other foods again.
Brushing and Flossing
Whether or not you have braces, brushing and flossing your teeth should be a regular part of your daily routine. However, when you get braces on, the need becomes even greater for you to be thorough. Because you have brackets and wires attached to your teeth, you have a greater chance of getting food stuck against your teeth and a greater chance of cavities. Because of the higher odds, you need to brush your teeth after every meal, and continue to floss thoroughly once per day.
Getting braces is a big adjustment. There are a lot of things that change, and the first few days especially can be overwhelming. It’s important to continue caring for your teeth while having braces to ensure that you achieve the best results possible. Visit Appleton dental regularly for checkups.
Check out this article on how orthodontic treatment continues after braces are removed!