Are you considering getting braces as an adult? We think it’s the right first step.
Living with braces as an adult doesn’t have to be difficult. Sure, when we were kids, we were apprehensive about adding train tracks to our teeth over fears of being bullied. That’s not the case today since we have much better sense and even an obligation to our health.
Installing braces can be a costly procedure, but it is a worthwhile investment to a better smile. Plus, it may be needed, whether you still have a baby tooth or you have overlapping. Thanks to modern technology and enhanced methods, it is much easier to add braces. It is less invasive and less scary than we imagined when we were children. The hard part, however, is caring for your braces as you get older.
Here are five orthodontist tips for adults living with braces:
1. You Must Avoid Specific Foods
One of the biggest aspects of having braces, particularly in your adult years, is to avoid specific foods. This can be hard because you’re monitoring yourself – you don’t have your mother to do this for you.
What do you need to refrain from imbibing? Here is a brief list: crunchy foods (popcorn), chewy foods (bagels), sticky foods (gum), hard foods (nuts) and foods to bite into (corn on the cob).
One more thing: if you have a habit of biting hard items, pens and fingernails, please stop.
2. Do Your Thing But a Little Bit More
In addition to refraining from eating various foods, hygiene is another imperative task to employ. Simply put: you still need to brush and rinse, but it should be heightened just a little bit more.
Brush your teeth twice a day and rinse your mouth with mouthwash before bed; just remember to extend these sessions and be a little more rigorous.
3. Getting Accustomed to Braces Will Take Time
When you first wear braces, you will notice the discomfort. As time goes by, the discomfort will pass and you will become accustomed to these braces. Everyone is uncomfortable for the first week or two, but as the days, weeks and months go by, you won’t even notice them.
In fact, when you take them off, you will be even more uncomfortable!
4. Always Rinse Your Mouth After Eating
Many people who don’t wear braces tend to neglect this routine, but you should always rinse your mouth with water after eating, whether it is a snack or a full-blown meal. By doing this, you get to remove some of the leftover food that stays behind in the deep crevice of your mouth.
5. Don’t be Afraid to Smile – You’re Still Beautiful
Finally, and this is important to remember at all times, you should never, ever be afraid to smile. Yes, you feel awkward and uncomfortable having steel wires cover your teeth, but you are still beautiful.
This is only temporary. Before you know it, the braces will be gone and your dental issue will be resolved. Until then, don’t punish yourself by refraining from smiling to the world.
Many of the orthodontists have seen it all in this business. They have dealt with patients who are frightened of having braces attached to their teeth for a couple of years. Even with all of the reassurance in the world, many patients, young and old, are terrified of having racks of steel in their mouths.
A common explanation that orthodontists provide is this: it is a worthwhile investment to being proud of your pearly whites. Let’s face it: the year or two will simply fly by. Besides, there are so many dental options out there these days that you don’t even need tracks.
