What Are The Best Ways To Look After Your Braces?

Fitting your mouth with braces for the next year or two of your life can feel like a life-changing experience. After all, this is one of the expert ways in which orthodontists are able to change the appearance of your smile by moving your teeth safely over a prolonged period of time.

Not only will this provoke a large change in how your smile looks, but you will also have to perhaps concede a change in lifestyle to ensure your braces are able to work to their full potential.

Here at Elite Orthodontics, we are on hand to provide you with tips to make sure that your braces are kept clean, strong, and performing their best.

Listen to Advice

Well, the first thing you should do is to listen to your orthodontist’s and his team’s advice carefully when your braces are fitted, and also at every appointment thereafter. Our orthodontists or orthodontic therapists will tell you all about what to expect and how to look after your orthodontic braces! We aim for the shortest possible treatment duration! Here, you will find some of the advice which you can follow to ensure that your treatment is completed not only successfully, but also in the shortest possible time!

Know What to Expect – Discomfort

You need to know what normal troubles to expect during the first few days of having your braces, and that after those first few days, your braces will become comfortable, and most of the time you will forget they are there. Parts of the brace may rub on the lips, cheeks or tongue causing a little soreness. There may also be increased saliva flow and a minor temporary effect on speech for a couple of days. Our patients are supplied with orthodontic wax; and if any part of the brace is rubbing against the lips or cheeks, a small piece of wax could be moulded over the troublesome component of the brace to act as a cushion.

What You Eat

Avoid certain foods and drinks such as sticky, chewy or hard sweets, chewing gum, and fizzy drinks. Try not to bite into hard food directly with your front teeth.

Habits

Certain habits can damage your teeth as well as your braces, and put the success of your treatment at risk. These include finger or thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, nail-biting, pen and pencil chewing, ‘clicking’ removable braces in and out, and touching or picking at your fixed braces. Stop these habits! 

Excellent Oral Hygiene

Keep your teeth clean using the toothbrushes we provide free of charge. Take your time when brushing, brush over your gum margins and make sure you have covered every surface of every tooth. Use the fluoride treatment we provide regularly. Poor oral hygiene will cause gum disease, and tooth decay, and leave permanent stains on your teeth.

Keep Your Appointments

Attending regular appointments means that your braces are adjusted as soon as they are ready to be adjusted, and this way your treatment will progress smoothly and rapidly. This also allows your orthodontist to detect any potential problems and prevent them before it’s too late.

Tell Us About Problems

Let us know if anything goes wrong, especially if your brace is lost or damaged and you can’t wear it. We will advise you on what to do and whether you need to make an emergency appointment.

Visit Your Regular Dentist

Regardless of the type of brace you are wearing, you must always see your regular dentist for six-monthly check-ups.

FIXED BRACES

With fixed braces, you may need to stick to a softer diet only for the first 3-4 days if your teeth feel a little tender. Please avoid certain foods to avoid damage to your teeth or your braces. These include sticky, chewy, or hard sweets (such as toffee, boiled sweets and wine gums); chewing gum; fizzy drinks; harder raw vegetables; crusty bread; hard nuts; and stones in fruits.

Biting your fingernails may result in damage to your brace. Do not touch, play with, or pick at your brace. Do not bite pens or touch your braces with them. Do not use your teeth as DIY or household tools!

ALIGNERS/RETAINERS/REMOVABLE BRACES

For the first 3-4 days of having your removable braces, Invisalign in London or clear aligners, and for a day or so each time you change to a new clear aligner, you may experience mild discomfort in your mouth. The teeth may get a little sore, and parts of the aligner may rub on your tongue. For a day or two, you may also notice increased saliva flow and a very minor effect on your speech. This is normal, and soon you’ll get used to wearing your aligners. If necessary, you may wish to take mild painkillers such as the ones you would normally take for headaches.

Try and wear your aligners and removable braces as full-time as possible. If you leave your braces out for a long time, you will have to get used to them all over again when you resume wearing them; or worse still, they may not fit!

Do not leave your aligners and removable braces lying around outside their container. Do not carry them loose in your pockets or your bag. Do not wrap them up in tissue paper or a napkin and then leave them lying around. Always store them in their container/box when not worn.

To keep your aligners or removable braces clean, brush them with your regular toothbrush and toothpaste whenever you brush your own teeth. You may wish to purchase retainer-cleaning tablets from a chemist as an extra measure and use these daily to keep your braces super clean.

Do not wash your aligners or retainers in very warm or boiling water; do not expose them to heat (such as hot drinks, or the dishwasher!), and do not use bleach or household disinfectants or chemicals to clean your aligners.

Always insert or remove your Invisalign or clear aligners according to your orthodontist’s instructions.

Should I brush my teeth as normal?

Yes, you should brush your teeth as normal twice a day, and use the interdental cleaning aids that we provide. You can also get additional help in keeping your mouth clean by using a fluoride mouthwash once a day.

Finally …

With your help, we will make sure that your orthodontic journey is a comfortable, smooth, and quick one!