Care during orthodontic treatment

Whilst you are having orthodontic treatment, there are some things you that may impact you.

1. Your monthly or periodic visits to your orthodontist is important. The success for fixed braces is based on your discipline of going for your monthly adjustment visits for braces adjustment or changing your clear aligners sequentially and correctly. Your orthodontist tracks that our orthodontic treatment is on track and teeth is shifted in the correctly.
2. You may experience some minor changes in diet whilst having treatment. For fixed braces, you should avoid biting sticky, hard an cruncy foods. Do be aware of sugary, acidic soft drinks that can cause bacteria and tooth decay. Drink plain water if possible.
3. With braces, more frequent cleanng and tooth-brushing is recommended along with daily flossing to ensure that teeth and gums are kept healthy thoughout treatment. Cleaning removes plaque and food debris left on the teeth and around braces. If teeth are not cleaned, you can get teeth cavities, swollen gums, bad breath and permanent white marks on the teeth.

Visit and call up your orthodontist when:

1. Bracket or wire on my fixed braces comes loose
2. You have lost or misplace a clear aligner
3. Usual discomfort

Tools to help cleaning during orthodontic treatment

1. Interproximal brushes : helps dislodge plaque and food particles trapped between teeth. It clear out debris that catches on brackets and wires.
2. Water irrigators : enables watr to flush out food particles quickly and easily
3. Fluoride mouth rinse : comes in various strength concentration that can help strengthen tooth enamel and help prevent white marks over teeth.

Discomfort during orthodontic treatment

You would likely feel initial discomfort or sensitivity when your braces are first placed on. This is temporary and will gradually decrease. Overall, orthodontic discomfort does not last long and can be managed. Most individuals become accustomed to their braces after a while.

Remedies to manage discomfort

If you do feel braces discomfort, there are several tools that can help

1. Orthodontic wax to buffer and smoothen any sharp edges.
2. Dental floss to remove plaque and sticky particles.
3. Interproximal brushes that helps to clean and scrubs debris causing discomort.
4. Topical anesthetic that could be Orabase or Ora-Gel to numb the area for temporary relief .
5. Over the counter pain relievers medications or please ask your dentist on pain prescription.
6. Rinse with warm salt water rinse (1 tsp. salt to 8 oz. warm water) to soothe any aching areas.

Foods to avoid with braces

If you opt for removable clear aligners, you are able to enjoy all types of foods without restrictions as your aligners are removed when you eat.

For fixed braces, your orthodontist will advise you to avoid certain types of foods that could potential stick to or damage your braces. Categories of food to avoid during braces may include but limited to:

1. Chewy foods such as bagels, hard rolls, licorice
2. Crunchy foods consisting of popcorn and ice
3. Sticky and sugary foods that includes caramels, toffee, candy or gum
4. Hard foods and snacks on nuts, hard pretzels, tortilla chips
5. Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, whole apples, carrots
6. Tough foods : meats, hard breads or thick pizza crust and raw vegetables

To protect your orthodontic appliances, you may cut up your food into small pieces and use your back teeth for chewing. The above may seem to restrict your diet, you are still able to enjoy you foods but you may have to cook them in a different way.

Some food suggestions you can consider taking during braces that are soft foods:

• Dairy products : soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks
• Grains : pasta, soft cooked rice
• Seafood: tuna, salmon, crab cakes
• Vegetables : mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans

If your braces is damaged or becomes dislodged, plesae do contact our bangkok orthodontic dental clinic to schedule an appointment to have it resolved. Read more on some frequently asked questions about braces.