It takes extra time and effort, but it is possible to keep your mouth looking and feeling healthy and clean when you have braces.
Why Flossing Is Important When You’re Wearing Braces
Bacteria love all of the dark nooks and crannies in your mouth. It settles in, hides out, and if left long enough, it creates plaque in those areas. If plaque isn’t cleaned away, tooth decay and gum disease develop.
When you have braces, the brackets on your teeth trap food particles, and the wires get in the way of brushing and flossing. It’s more difficult to clean the hard to reach places, so people with braces are more likely to get cavities and gingivitis.
Here’s why you should take extra care to floss daily with braces:
- Prevents swollen and bleeding gums.
- Decreases chances of tooth decay, gum disease, and white spots forming around the brackets.
- Makes your teeth and gums healthy and ready for the world when your braces are removed.
How to Floss with Braces
What you need:
- Waxed floss – Unwaxed floss tends to get caught and shred in braces.
- Floss threader – Helps floss slip between each tooth without catching.
- Time – About three times more than you’d spend on your teeth without braces.
Carefully loop a piece of 18-inch floss through the threader. Use the stiff end of the threader to direct the floss under the wire. Once the floss is under the wire, gently slide the floss along the side and up into the gum line of each tooth. Remove the floss and re-thread it under the main wire to pass between the next pair of teeth.
A Quick Note About Young Children with Braces
When it comes to young children with braces, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind:
- Timing of orthodontic treatment: Orthodontic treatment for young children is often recommended when their permanent teeth have started erupting, usually around the ages of 8 to 14. The exact timing depends on the individual child’s dental development and the specific orthodontic needs.
- Early intervention: In some cases, early orthodontic intervention may be necessary to address issues such as overcrowding, bite problems, or jaw misalignment. Early treatment aims to guide the growth and development of the jaw and teeth, creating a more favorable environment for permanent teeth eruption.
- Age-appropriate oral hygiene: Children with braces require special attention to oral hygiene. Parents and caregivers should ensure that their child maintains a good oral hygiene routine, including brushing after each meal, flossing daily, and using any additional oral hygiene aids recommended by the orthodontist, such as interdental brushes or orthodontic wax.
- Diet and eating habits: Children with braces should be mindful of their diet to avoid damaging the braces or causing discomfort. They should avoid sticky, hard, or chewy foods that can dislodge brackets or bend wires. Encourage them to cut food into smaller, more manageable pieces and chew with their back teeth.
- Regular orthodontic appointments: Children with braces need regular check-ups with their orthodontist. These appointments are crucial for monitoring progress, making necessary adjustments, and ensuring that the treatment plan is on track. It’s important to follow the orthodontist’s recommendations for scheduling and attending these appointments.
- Patience and support: Orthodontic treatment can be an adjustment for young children, both physically and emotionally. They may experience some discomfort or sensitivity initially, and it may take time to get used to the feeling of braces in their mouth. Provide them with support, reassurance, and help them understand the importance of the treatment for their oral health.
It’s essential to consult with a qualified orthodontist who specializes in treating children to assess their specific needs, discuss treatment options, and develop a personalized plan. The orthodontist will guide you through the process and provide specific instructions for caring for your child’s braces.
Flossing Is Important, But It’s Not the Only Thing!
Flossing is important, but how you brush and what you eat are also important when you have braces.
Brush longer and more frequently. To remove all of the plaque and bacteria, you should brush your teeth three times a day. Because there are more places for the plaque and bacteria to hide, you should also brush for two to four minutes each time. The quality of your brushing is most important: be sure to brush all around the brackets, between teeth, and along the gum line.
Choose teeth-healthy foods. Avoid sugary foods and beverages like soda, sweets, and other desserts.
Avoid foods that can damage your braces. Foods that are hard or sticky can cause damage. Avoid foods that can get stuck in your braces like hard candies, gum, ice, licorice, nuts, beef jerky, and hard, crusty bread.
New to Braces? The Best Soft Foods for Sore Teeth
When your braces are applied, it can take your teeth some time to get used to their new normal. Your teeth and gums can ache and take the enjoyment out of food. But there’s no need to go hungry, there are plenty of soft food options available until you can return to your braces friendly diet. Here’s our team’s top picks:
Which Foods Are Best for Braces?
It’s important to eat a balanced diet, even when your teeth are sore. Here are some tips on foods you can swap into your diet to help ease the pain.
Dairy
At breakfast time, you may not feel like eating your favourite cereal or toast with sore teeth. Instead try making yourself a smoothie with milk and fruit such as this delicious banana smoothie recipe with variations to keep things interesting.
Yoghurt is a cool, soothing snack or can be part of a meal. Custard and ice cream are easy to eat if you’re craving a sweet treat.
Fruits
Eating an apple even when it’s cut up is probably the last thing you will feel like doing. Luckily, there are plenty of other fruit options available. Make yourself a fruit salad with finely chopped soft fruit. If it’s summertime, you’re in luck with the stone fruits being relatively soft and easy to eat, just avoid eating fruit with stringy flesh that can get caught in your braces. Melon can be cut up into small pieces, so you don’t have to do much chewing.
In the cooler weather, you can stew apples, pears, and berries to eat on their own, with custard or add a crumble topping and bake.
Vegetables
Sore teeth won’t get you out of eating your vegetables. You’ll want to pass on the raw carrot and celery for more than a few weeks. They can cause a broken brace or wire so it’s best to eat them cooked. Most vegetables can be cooked to soften them.
Soups are a nourishing comfort food. Make a pumpkin or leek and potato soup and puree it until it’s liquid. A minestrone or chicken and vegetable soup can be cooked until all the vegetables are very soft and require little chewing. There’s plenty of other soup recipes to discover.
Small vegetables like peas and corn off the cob don’t require a lot of chewing either and well-steamed broccoli can be cut up finely before serving.
A stuffed baked potato can be an easy, filling meal option particularly if the rest of the family is eating something that doesn’t appeal to your sore mouth.
If you want a salad, cut up softer vegetables including tomatoes, avocado and lettuce or spinach.
Do you or your child need braces? Now’s the perfect time! For a limited time this summer, Newtonbrook is offering a Summer Braces Special. Contact a Nerwtonbrook dental office for more details and to schedule your free consultation.