Wearing braces can be a lengthy and exhausting process, but this pays off when you see the result. Do you know how to take proper care of your oral health and your braces? Apart from visiting a dental clinic, self-care, and monitoring your diet are equally essential to ensure you get the best results after your orthodontic treatment! Let’s have a look at the ten things that the Newport Beach dentist suggests you avoid while wearing braces.
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Chewing hard meat
Sometimes we eat meat that is too hard to chew, like beef or mutton meat. Chewing hard meat takes a lot of time and effort. This clenching and grinding could result in chipped teeth and damaged jaws. The soft surface of meat doesn’t cause damage to the braces; rather the excessive chewing can loosen the wires joining the brackets and our teeth, making the braces less effective.
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Acidic food & drinks
Today, even though all the metal braces are durable, stable, and sturdy, you need to treat your braces with care. You have to avoid foods like lemon and lime, soft drinks, or sour sauces, which contain acid. Apart from this, soft drinks also contain a high amount of sugar, which can lead to cavities. Acidic foods can destroy the enamel (the outer most layer of our teeth). They can also cause the formation of acidic plaque around the brackets on the teeth. In some cases, this can cause discolored spots on our teeth, which are not apparent until we remove the braces and realize that it is too late.
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Chewing Ice
Ice is cold and hard. It is recommended not to chew on ice, especially when you are wearing braces. Even if you are not wearing braces, do not chew on ice. The temperature of ice can cause a high sensitivity reaction and can easily bend the brackets. As you bite down on the piece of ice, it can quickly turn the wire or break off a bracket. Throughout your treatment period, your teeth (and gums included) are in a delicate and sensitive state. Frequently chewing on ice can cause increased teeth and gum sensitivity even after the removal of braces.
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Forget to floss
Forgetting to floss while you are wearing braces can result in some serious oral health issues. Never forget to floss while you are wearing braces and after you get the braces off. The food particles that get stuck between the teeth create a plague that damages your enamel, and it can destroy the whole structure of your teeth at a later stage.
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Use your teeth as tools
Never use your teeth as tools. It is true if you are not wearing braces. However, it is particularly essential while you do have braces. Do not open bottled drinks, tear open bags, or straighten bent wire using your teeth. Your teeth should only be used for eating and chewing. Using your teeth as a tool can damage, weaken, break, chip or fracture them, and it can be very hard on your braces, too.
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Grind your teeth.
Many people grind their teeth subconsciously as a response to stress. If you do this the whole day, then try correcting yourself so that you can avoid the unhealthy habit. If you are doing this even when you’re sleeping, consult the Newport Beach dentist who can recommend some solutions to keep you from grinding your teeth.
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Forget to take out bands while eating
If you are using rubber bands to assist you in moving your jaws, it is critical to take them out before chewing and eating any food. They do not only get mucked as you eat, but they are also likely to break and snap. It doesn’t only cause severe pain, but it will also lead to swallowing of the rubber band. So please avoid that!
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Sticky or Hard Chocolate
We all love chocolates. They give us energy, give us a good mood, but they can also cause many oral problems if we have braces on! Sticky or hard chocolate bars can be harmful to your braces. It can also cause stains on braces that are impossible to clean especially if you don’t have a special brush for braces.
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Chewing Candies and Gums
If you want effective results on your braces, then you should avoid candies and gums. Foods with high sugar content promote bacterial growth and oral cavities. These bacteria are infamous causes of destruction in our mouths: from cavities to tooth discoloration to bad breaths. Sticky gums can disrupt your brackets and archwires as you try to remove them.
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Neglecting to report problems
Often we overlook most of the oral issues while they are at the early stages of wearing braces. Mention all these essential concerns during your first appointment about your braces, whether it’s as simple as the breaking of a bracket or the shifting of a wire. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your nearest Newport Beach dentist for proper treatment.