Learning to Manage Your Dental Problems

Six Tips For Traditional Braces

31 March 2015 by Charlotte Beck

When you get traditional braces to straighten your teeth, there are many rules and guidelines you should follow. Consider the following tips to ensure you get the most benefit from your orthodontics.

Sugarless gum helps keep the cavities away.

You may be surprised to learn that, but it's true. Chewing gum helps increase saliva production, which breaks down food particles and reduces cavities. Just make sure that the gum is sugarless, or you could end up causing cavities.

Wait to whiten.

Whitening your teeth before your braces are removed is not a good idea. If you whiten your teeth while your braces are still attached, the space under the individual brackets will not lighten. When you have your braces removed, you will be left with darker colored spots where the brackets were. Additionally, the chemicals used to whiten can dissolve the bracket adhesive, requiring reattachment.

Wear your rubber bands and head gear if prescribed.

Although they may seem like a hassle, a head gear or rubber bands are part of your orthodontist's plan to create a beautiful smile for you. If you fail to wear them as prescribed, you will likely be stuck with braces for an even greater length of time.

Pay attention to the list of "off-limit" foods.

Or at least be very careful when eating them. Chewing foods like popcorn, tortilla chips, hard candies, peanut brittle, and ice can cause small pieces of the food to become lodged underneath the bracket attached to your tooth. This will either cause trapped food to rot, causing cavities, or require your orthodontist to remove and reattach the bracket.

The magic wand is your friend.

Many orthodontists now provide an Electro-Acuscope and Mypulse machine (or "magic wand") for their patients to use.  This technology was originally designed for use in hospital settings to help speed healing and recovery time. The machine scans the tissue in the mouth and produces a gentle current that stimulates healing and greatly reduces pain. Regular use of the magic wand can take away the pain and soreness related to regular tightening and even help quickly heal sores within the mouth.

Wisdom teeth can crowd your mouth.

When your wisdom teeth start to emerge, it is best to have a dentist address them immediately. Many people need their wisdom teeth removed. If you are one of these people, failing to remove them can crowd and distort your carefully constructed smile. Many people do not have room in their mouth for the additional teeth, so if you don't have them removed right away, you may undo all of the time and money spent on orthodontics.

A lot of time and money goes into creating perfectly aligned teeth. Follow these tips to ensure that you get the most out of your orthodontics.

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