The Importance of Health Checks

Care Tips for Adult Patients Wearing Dental Braces

27 April 2017 by Roberta Craig

Orthodontists are dental professionals that specialise in the treatment of a number of dental deformities, including crooked teeth, poor bites, protruded teeth and crowded teeth. Orthodontic appliances are often provided to improve the appearance as well as functionality of the teeth. Dental braces are usually the most common type of orthodontic appliances used to straighten or move teeth during orthodontic treatment. Knowing how to take proper care of dental braces is critical to ensuring quick and effective recovery for patients wearing the appliances.

Let us take a look at what adult patients can do to take good care of their orthodontic braces and ensure effective treatment.

Teeth cleaning

With several tiny spaces in your braces to catch food particles, you will have extra responsibility when it comes keeping your teeth clean. This may mean having to brush and floss your teeth more frequently than you normally do when you are not wearing braces, and thoroughly cleaning the spaces in your braces. With their small bristled heads, interdental brushes can help you easily remove the plaque and pieces of food clean caught between your teeth, around braces and below the gum line. Flossing teeth routinely is also vital to maintaining good oral hygiene. Floss threaders can help you effectively floss around the orthodontic wires to rid of any trapped food particles. Interdental brushes, floss threaders and any other dental hygiene products recommended by your dentist can be found stocked at your local drug stores.

Dietary adjustments

If you want to avoid encountering problems with your dental braces, you may need to make some adjustments to your normal diet. In general, it is best to avoid consuming sticky foods like caramel, chewing gum, peanut butter, and groundnuts; hard foods like apples and uncooked carrots; as well as beverages that are high on sugar content and can also stain your teeth. 

Repairing damaged braces

In spite of your best efforts to keep your dental braces in top condition, they may still get damaged. The bracket can become loose or a wire may protrude. When this happens, you should be able to provide a temporary remedy for the problem until you can see your orthodontist. If a wire is sticking out, you can use a hard object to push it into an unobtrusive position. If a bracket is loose, you can remove it if you can and bring it to the dental office for reattachment. 

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