Wearing braces is the start of your journey to a perfect smile in Pittsburgh, PA! Today we highlight some tips to make wearing braces as comfortable as possible for you…
Tip 1:
Maintain Great Oral Hygiene
Braces create small traps where food particles and bacteria love to hide. This means it’s important to keep up with your oral hygiene to prevent painful cavities and other dental issues. Make sure to brush and floss twice a day to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Rinsing with antimicrobial mouthwash can also help remove stubborn food particles and kill bad breath germs. Nobody likes walking around all day with food stuck in their teeth or braces!!
Tip 2:
Stick to Braces-friendly Food
A balanced diet that is easy on your braces can save you from a lot of problems. Hard food like nuts, popcorn, corn, and some raw fruits and veggies can easily break a wire or cause a bracket to fall off your tooth. Sticky food like caramel, taffy, syrup, and honey are notorious for getting stuck between brackets and wires and can be a hassle to remove. And having too much sugar not only rots your teeth, but it can also break down the cement holding your braces to your teeth. Avoiding these types of food can prevent you from damaging your braces and needing emergency appointments.
Tip 3:
Cold Drinks Can Help with Soreness
A quick remedy for soreness or discomfort caused by your braces is to drink something cold. Cold drinks can have a slight numbing effect that takes the edge off any soreness you may be feeling. This can be especially helpful right after orthodontist appointments when you may feel some discomfort after getting your braces adjusted.