Two tips for those who are about to get braces fitted
If you are about to have braces fitted, you might want to keep the following two tips in mind.
Take a break from high-impact sports whilst you are undergoing this dental treatment
If you play a sport that is considered to be 'high-impact' (i.e. one which often results in participants coming into contact with each other in a forceful manner), it would be best to take a break from this activity whilst you are receiving orthodontic treatment.
There are a couple of reasons why you should consider doing this.
Firstly, whilst orthodontics are made from robust materials, they are not designed to withstand an extremely forceful impact. This means that if you get hit very hard in the mouth whilst playing a sport, your braces could break.
If this happens, you would have to endure the time-consuming, costly and stressful process of having them repaired by your orthodontist.
Secondly, if your braces break as a result of you being struck in the mouth, the metal wires could lacerate your gums. This could not only leave you in a lot of pain but could also cause profuse bleeding and put you at risk of developing a serious oral infection, which may need to be treated with antibiotics and a medicated mouthwash.
It is also important to note that wearing a mouthguard whilst you play your chosen sport will not guarantee that the above-mentioned problems will not occur, as this device does not offer complete protection but instead only helps to reduce the severity of the damage caused by being hit in the mouth.
Invest in a travel-sized oral hygiene kit
Unless you intend to stay at home every day whilst you're undergoing orthodontic treatment, you should invest in a travel-sized oral hygiene kit, which includes a travel toothbrush, a miniature bottle of mouthwash and some floss.
The reason for this is as follows; for those who do not have braces, cleaning their teeth twice a day will usually be enough to keep their gums and teeth healthy.
However, if you have braces, you must clean your teeth after every single meal or snack you consume. If for example, you routinely eat your lunch at work and then wait until you get home several hours later to floss and brush, you may end up very unhappy with how your teeth look at the end of your orthodontic treatment.
This is because the food that you fail to remove immediately after eating could get stuck in the tiny crevices of your braces' components. This could encourage the growth of plaque in these areas which, if it is not removed quickly enough, could turn into hard tartar that cannot be brushed away.
This tartar could damage your tooth enamel and, in doing so, cause the brownish dentin underneath to show through. This could leave you with permanently discoloured teeth when you have your braces removed.
As such, it is vital to buy a travel-sized oral hygiene kit and to use it immediately after eating food when you are away from home.
For more tips and information, contact a local orthodontics clinic.
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