Your braces are designed to realign your teeth through the course of progressive adjustment sessions with your orthodontist. While these alignment sessions are absolutely critical for the process, maintaining good oral health and the condition of your braces is equally important.
If you develop tooth decay issues or if some part of your braces is damaged, the resulting complications could very well extend the number of adjustment sessions needed to achieve your new smile. This would likely increase the amount of time you need to wear braces.
Eating sticky foods and regularly chewing gum can bend wires, loosen brackets or even dislodge a spacer. You should also avoid chewing on hard foods, ice, and hard candies as it could also bend wires and damage bands. This also extends to bad habits like chewing on hard objects, like pencils, pens, and ice.
If some part of your braces is damaged and there is sharp point threatening your cheek or gums, you can secure the problem area inside the special orthodontic wax you were given when the braces were installed. If you don’t have the wax readily on hand, you can use a pencil eraser in a pinch.
Brushing and flossing twice a day is critical for removing plaque and residual food particles. When flossing, it’s important to work the floss between the teeth and along the gumline. If you’re having a difficult time cleaning around the braces or flossing the spaces between your teeth, you might want to try using interdental brushes or a floss threader with waxed dental floss.
If you have questions or concerns about how to maintain your braces and your oral health in Sandusky, OH, you can always call A&A Orthodontics at to seek further advice.
