Braces are one of the best options for straightening teeth.
Jaw surgery is another treatment for misaligned teeth and jaws, but not everyone’s a good candidate for it. Veneers and other cosmetic dental treatments can help make teeth appear straighter, but they’re not as effective as braces for straightening teeth.
Now, if you’ve already gotten braces, you might wonder if there are braces care errors you need to avoid. After all, wearing braces isn’t exactly comfortable. If you can shorten your treatment time by avoiding such mistakes, that would be great.
That being said, let’s talk about errors to avoid when caring for your braces.
- Skipping Regular Braces Maintenance
There are different adult braces available to those who need proper teeth alignment, from traditional metal braces to lingual braces and clear aligners. No matter what kind you’re wearing, though, you shouldn’t miss your brace care appointments.
That’s because your orthodontist will check if your braces require adjustment. Besides adjusting your braces, your dentist will also clean your teeth to remove plaque and tartar. Also, depending on your progress, your dentist could modify your treatment plan, especially if brackets or other parts need replacement.
- Eating the Wrong Food
Sure, eating spaghetti with braces gets annoying, more so when some pieces get stuck in the brackets. However, soft foods are still better than those that can break the braces’ brackets or wires.
That includes nuts, chewing gum, hard candies, and so on. If you can’t stop eating them, remember that you have to spend more money every time your orthodontist replaces braces parts.
Of course, you can avoid this problem altogether if you opt for clear aligners. Since these are removable, you can eat your favorite foods without any worries.
- Believing Common Myths About Braces
Beyond knowing the best food for braces, it’s also good to use your orthodontic appointments to ask questions about your treatment.
This way, your dentist can clarify things, especially about some misconceptions about braces. For example, maybe you’ve read that retainers can be as effective as braces for straightening teeth. Rather than requesting your dentist to remove your braces, it helps to ask first, so you’ll understand why it’s better to continue your treatment than switch to retainers.
- Failing to Protect Your Braces
Did your dentist instruct you to wear a mouthguard when sleeping or participating in contact sports?
Wearing protection for braces isn’t only for the dental appliance. Let’s say you get elbowed in the mouth while playing basketball. If you’re not wearing a mouthguard, and the hit is pretty bad, you could end up with wounds and other injuries.
- Other Braces Care Errors to Avoid
Even if you find brushing and flossing a chore now that you’re wearing braces, that doesn’t mean you should get lax about maintaining oral hygiene.
It’s also essential that you make an appointment with your dentist if you suspect something wrong with your braces. If you ignore such issues, it could lead to more significant problems like needing emergency dental care.
Caring for Your Smile
Avoiding braces care errors brings you a step closer to achieving your dream smile. Be sure to ask your orthodontist if you have other questions about maintaining your braces.
For more dental tips, don’t forget to check out our other articles.
