Care Tips For People Who Have Clear Braces

Over four million people in the US currently have braces. Many individuals had them as children and end up needing them again as adults due to shifting teeth. Estimates show that 25% of current individuals with braces are adults. Without proper care, you can damage your braces and interrupt your treatment. To make sure that doesn’t happen, follow these simple care tips.

Avoid foods that can stick to your braces

Foods like popcorn and caramels taste delicious—and they most certainly are. But they are a nightmare for braces. Sticky treats like caramels can get stuck to your braces and create damage when removed. Popcorn can get trapped in and around your brackets and cause them to dislodge when you try removing it. Hard foods like certain veggies and chewy meats can cause the same issue. Crunching into an apple could pop a bracket off. To prevent these problems, avoid these foods while you have braces.  Even if that happens, don’t worry as your dentist near Allen, TX, we can fix it.

Eat a healthy diet

Having braces is one more reason to follow a healthy diet. It’s important to eat the right foods as foods high in sugar and acid can lead to cavities or tooth decay. If you have braces, it’s harder to clean your teeth. Plaque on your teeth can stain them. Try to avoid snacks between meals and if you do eat, choose foods that are good for your body and your teeth, like cheese, yogurt, fruits and vegetables.

Break yourself of bad habits like chewing on your nails

Do you bite your nails or chew on pencils or pen caps? If you do, break yourself of this habit asap. Just like biting into hard food or chewing on gum, these habits could also cause a bracket to pop loose. To avoid emergency visits to the orthodontist, break away from these habits.

Practice excellent oral hygiene

To extend the life of your braces, make sure you brush at least twice per day and floss once per day. You don’t want food particles to get stuck in your brackets! Trapped food can cause decay in your teeth and make your braces smell, leaving a literal bad taste in your mouth.

While braces may be challenging, there are things you can do to make the experience more pleasant. Use these tips to make your time with braces the best it can be!

If you’re looking for a dentist near Allen, TX for clear braces or invisible aligners, 6 Month Smiles in Fairview, TX is a treatment that takes advantage of discrete tooth colored brackets and wires to straighten teeth.  Perfect for people who want to achieve results as soon as possible.