My family's dental health is important to me. Unfortunately for me, it is not as important to my little ones. Getting my kids to brush and floss on a daily basis is almost like taking on an obstacle course. I talked to my family's dentist about different methods I could try to encourage them to brush and floss on a regular basis. Some of the tricks worked, some did not. After some experimentation and talking to other parents, I was able to come up with a lot of great tips for helping kids care for their teeth. I started this blog to help other parents get creative when it comes to their kids and dental care.
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A Guide to Creatively Handling a Child's Dental Health
4 Tips For Caring For Your Braces
Bella Snyder
Most people desire a beautiful, straight smile, and in this day and age more, and more adults are wearing braces to correct alignment issues. If you're an adult who is getting braces, you will need to make some changes to your oral hygiene routine in order to keep your teeth and gums healthy during the duration of your orthodontic treatment. Use the following tips to care for your braces and your oral health:
Brush Often
As an adult, you most likely brush your teeth when you wake up in the morning and before going to sleep. While you wear braces, you will need to adjust to brushing your teeth more frequently. When you have braces you should ideally brush your teeth after all meals and snacks. Food particles can get trapped in your braces, and if they sit on the surface of your teeth for extended periods of time, you can develop tooth decay and other dental problems. Use either an electric toothbrush or a manual toothbrush with soft bristles to brush your teeth while wearing braces.
Don't Skip Flossing
While everyone should floss daily, it is especially important when you wear braces. Brushing your teeth can remove the majority of food particles, but you need to take the extra step and floss to ensure that nothing is stuck between your teeth or under your braces. If you find flossing more difficult while wearing braces, purchase an orthodontic flosser at a drug store to make it easier to floss under the wires of your braces. You may also want to consider using an oral irrigator to clean between your teeth and under your braces.
Be Mindful of What You Consume
It is essential to pay attention to what you eat when you have braces. It is best to avoid eating a lot of starchy or sugary foods, since these can lead to plaque build up around the brackets of your braces. Chewy and sticky foods are also detrimental while wearing braces, since they can get stuck in the braces and be very difficult to fully remove.
In addition, try to stay away from hard foods, like jerky, nuts, raw apples and carrots, or popcorn. Eating hard foods can break the wires and cause damage to the brackets of your braces.
Attend All Appointments
As an adult, you most likely have a very busy life, but it is essential to show up to all orthodontic appointments while you have braces. Your dentist or orthodontist will need to make regular adjustments in order to ensure that the braces straighten your teeth properly. Failure to attend all appointments could extend the course of your treatment and you'll have to wear your braces longer.
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