Dental Brace Guide

Wearing braces do not limit your ability to eat. It is possible to eat almost anything but some foods amy damage your appliances and should be avoided.

Crunchy foods – this includes nuts, seeds, popcorns, hard snacks and chips, ice and frozen foods
Hard breads and finger foods – includes corn on the cob, chicken wings, chicken bones and spare ribs
Chewy foods – sticky, chewy candies, gums, soft caramels
Sugary foods – foods with high sugar contents that may cause tooth decay. If you have to eat any of them, see to it that you rinse your mouth with water or brush your teeth at once.

Citrus fruits such as oranges, tangerines and grapefruits are some of the top favorite fruits of all time of different people in different parts of the world. Don’t you just love the taste of the juices that you can squeeze from it?

Here’s the bad news for citrus lovers: Citrus fruits are not braces-friendly.

I’m not talking about the eating part in here. Yes, you can eat them since these fruits but then later on, you’ll realize that the little pieces are stucked in every bracket of your braces and your lips gets dry too.

Just make sure that you rinse your mouth a lot of times and floss your teeth after eating the fruits because the little pieces are just hiding behind your brackets. Beware!

Braces Do’s
• Brush after every meal. If you can’t brush right away, rinse your mouth (and removable appliance) with water.
• Floss every day. Your orthodontist can give you a floss threader if you’re having difficulties.
• Chew only sugarless gum.
• Call your orthodontist if anything is loose or broken.
Braces Don’ts
• Don’t miss your orthodontic appointments. Missed or delayed appointments mean you’ll have to wear your braces longer.
• Don’t eat hard, sticky or chewy foods, crunchy foods.
• Don’t chew on pens, pencils, ice, fingernails or anything that might break your braces.

• Don’t forget to clean behind your back teeth.
• Don’t give mouthwash or fluoride toothpaste to young children, as they can swallow it.
• Don’t clean your tongue so hard that it hurts.
• Don’t rely on mouthwash alone too keep your teeth and gums clean and your breath fresh. Practice complete oral hygiene.
• Don’t ignore your gums - you can lose your teeth as well as have bad breath.
• Don’t drink too much coffee.
• Don’t smoke.

To prevent relapse, or the teeth moving to the original position, after the treatment with braces is completed the dentist usually recommends the use of retainers. There are different types of retainers available: the Hawley retainer, which is made of metal hooks enclosed in an acrylic plate and shaped to fit the palate; the Essix retainer, which is made of clear plastic tray and is form-fitted to the teeth and being held in place by a suction; and the bonded retainer, which is made of a wire which is permanently held in place to the inner side of the teeth near the tongue.

Heard of Occlusal Splints? These are dental appliances that can be removed. It is carefully designed to fit the upper or lower arches of the teeth. It can also be called as bite planes, bite splints or night guards.

Occlusal splints are used to protect the tooth and restoration surfaces. It also manages the disfunction of mandibular or jaw. It also makes space for further restoration procedures. . There are some people who are prone to nocturnal bruxism, or nighttime clenching. They must wear occlusal splints (or fondly called night guards) at night.

Children often use soft splints because of their unstoppable growth. Occlusal slints are composed of acrylic resin.

• Floss between your teeth at least once a day, after dinner and before bedtime. (Tip: Use toothpaste on your floss for extra fresh breath.)

• Rinse and gargle with the mouthwash, ideally right before bedtime.

• Eat a balanced diet, limit between-meal snacks and eliminate sugary foods.

• Clean your tongue when your brush your teeth. (Tip: Instead of using toothpaste to brush your tongue, dip your toothbrush in mouthwash.)

• Drink plenty of liquids, especially water to keep your mouth moist. (Tip: If your mouth is dry, try sucking in your cheeks as if eating something sour to increase flow from the salivary glands.)