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.

Braces are investments in oral health. Initially, patients experience soreness but may be relieved if they go along with the following suggestions:

1. Irritation – use of wax, cotton and gauze to cover dry, inflamed areas, until your mouth has adjusted.
2. Food – the first few days after wearing your appliances, or after adjustments are made, you will only be able to take soft foods.
3. Brushing – you should brush your teeth and massage your gums, in front of a mirror, after every meal. Check for any particles that you may have missed.
4. Breakage – do not play with any part of the appliance with your tongue. If something is broken or comes loose, see your orthodontist.

Now let’s go back in learning more on the different parts of our dental braces.

The appliance that is placed in the palace is called an Expansion Appliance. It is used to widen the arch. Did you notice the band or bracket that was used when the orthodontist was attaching the rubberbands on your last check-up? That is called the Hook. The Rubberband is the clear band that is the connection of the hooks between the upper and lower teeth and lastly, Ligature Tie is the very thin wire that is wrapped around a bracket holding the archwire into its slot.

Do you have a friend who wears retainers? Have you ever wondered what it is?

A retainer is a removable orthodontic appliance that should be worn after the orthodontist removes your braces. The teeth have the tendency to go back to it’s original position when removed and the retainers helps prevent it from occurring.

Usually, upper retainers are made of hard plastic and wire that fits in the room of the mouth. On the other hand, the lower retainer can be removed permanently cemented to the lower teeth to prevent it from coming out.

In the first several months, your orthodontist would require you to use the retainers all the time and after that, the orthodontist will finally decide how often should the retainers be worn or if you still need to wear it. It is very tempting not to wear your retainers, but if you don’t want to wear braces again, you have to follow your orthodontist’s instructions.

Have you seen a photo of a relative who had braces a long time ago? If yes, then you may have seen a picture of a person with a mouth full of metal.

Dental Braces today still have metal, but they are less noticeable. You can even get some clear braces or the one that has the same color as your teeth. Not only that, there are also some braces that can go behind your teeth where no one can see them!

The wires today are much smaller and better. It is now made of a space-age material that can straighten our teeth easier and faster. We also have assorted colors of elastics to choose from!