Brace, Brace, Brace: 3 Easy Ways Every Orthodontic Patient Can Ensure Best Results

Posted on: 23 January 2018

Wearing braces is very common these days, both for teenagers and for adults.  While the type of brace and individual procedures may vary, there are a few things common to every patient.  First, your treatment will last for approximately one to two years—although some rare cases can fall outside that range.  Second, and perhaps most importantly, you can't leave it all to the device itself.  You will need to take an active part in taking care of your teeth and your brace in order to make sure your smile looks the very best that it can once the brace is removed.  Here's how.

Alter Your Diet

While you're wearing your brace, it's vitally important to reduce your intake of sugar.  Where possible, you should cut it from your diet altogether.  Unfortunately, this means that fizzy drinks and fruit juices are off the menu for the time being.  Avoid coffee, too.  The reason behind this is simple.  It's much harder to clean your teeth while wearing a brace.  With the best will in the world, and no matter how much effort you put in, there's a chance that sugars can get stuck in hard-to-reach areas.  If they do, it could lead to staining beneath the brace, which will be difficult to get rid of in the long-term.  If you're really desperate, drinking through a straw to bypass your teeth every now and again is a good alternative—but don't tell your dentist!

Brush After Every Meal

While altering your diet as mentioned above can help to reduce the risk of staining, it's worth remembering that other foods can cause problems too.  One way to help ensure that nothing gets stuck in your brace is to brush your teeth immediately after every meal.  This may be frustrating, but it's well worth your time.  It will also make wearing the brace more comfortable, as it makes sure that nothing becomes lodged in the brace to cause you discomfort.

Wear Your Retainer

You can't forget about your brace after it's removed from your mouth.  You can, of course, enjoy the sensation of having your mouth 'back'—but you must continue to wear your retainer as advised by your orthodontist.  This will usually consist of wearing it solidly for a number of weeks immediately after the brace is removed, and then nightly thereafter.  You'd be surprised how quickly the results you worked so hard for can be lost—so follow those instructions and stick to your retainer routine strictly.

Despite all these changes you'll need to make, wearing a brace really isn't so bad.  You get used to the sensation of wearing it very quickly, and once you settle into the routine of caring for it, you'll barely notice you're doing it.  Besides, it's all worth it to see the huge difference it makes to your smile in the end. 

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