Expert-Approved Tips to Navigate the First Week with Braces

Irrespective of one’s age, getting orthodontic braces for the first time is a brand new experience for anyone. Braces are a kind of appliance which are meant to be fitted to your teeth and that remain visible to everyone you come face to face with. Youngsters including both children and teens have an advantage though, large number of wear these appliances and thus they enjoy a kind of majority while undergoing orthodontic corrections. But adults do not enjoy that privilege because the most of the cases are a lone wolf situation and for that is why embracing braces is no less than a daunting experience.

On the positive stride the trend of adult braces is gradually picking up. According to some of the leading dentists and orthodontic specialists in London adult braces for orthodontic corrections are actually more common than what people usually think. Surviving the first week of one’s braces journey is crucial. It helps one’s confidence to stay intact. In the following sections of the post let us discuss few tried and tested tips on that. But first let us understand why adults require braces.

Adults require braces – why?

As an adult one may require braces because of countless number of reasons. Maybe one could not afford braces in younger days, aesthetical enhancement could be the priority or the issues could not be solved earlier and now one feels taking another attempt in correcting the issues – the reasons could really be endless. Some people are found to be dissatisfied with the results of previous treatments and thus they sign up for treatments to correct their bite issues and misalignment of the teeth again.

Aesthetic enhancements – Smile enhancement really works wonders to one’s confidence and this can be achieved by correcting the misaligned teeth and correcting bite functions says a leading orthodontist in Wimbledon. Moreover it can also correct speech problems.

Health betterment – The straighter teeth are easier to clean and maintain sound oral hygiene. In other words this means with straighter teeth you are less prone to suffer from cavities and gum disease.  Braces for adults also ensure lesser wearing of gums along with the need for gum surgery and root canals. As your bite function gets improved your teeth and the jaws help you chew better which in turn ensures better assimilation of food by your body. With improved bite and chewing functions it become easier for you to break down food in tinier pieces which helps easier digestion.

Pain in the jaw – When you have misaligned teeth your bite becomes unstable and as an overall result you suffer from pain in the jaw as well as discomfort, TMD or Temporo mandibular joint disorder (many people also refer to this as TMJ), sensitivity in the teeth and chronic headaches. Moreover the condition may also lead you to arthritis over a period of time.

Damage of your tooth – When you have an unstable bite, the misaligned teeth are much easily susceptible to wear and tear. Over a period of time this leads to damage of the natural structure of your tooth which in turn may lead to dental emergency condition.

Handling adult braces better during the first week – few tried and tested tips

Try your best to adapt to the new cleaning routine of your mouth

Getting fast adapted to a new brushing routine is one of the crucial parts of going on a journey with braces. You now have to brush the teeth twice daily and apart from brush every time after a meal or a snack, explain dentists working at a renowned orthodontic practice in Wimbledon. Whenever you eat anything, food particles easily get stuck to the braces and this leads to easy accumulation of harmful plaques. To stay safe from cavities in the teeth, gum disease and other oral health issues it is better to brush the teeth every time after a snack or a meal.

Bring a change in your every day diet

For the first few days your teeth are fast getting used to your orthodontic appliances. During this period you should better live on a diet of soft foods like smashed potatoes, boiled vegetables, yogurt, smoothies, soft boiled pasta, soups, soft breads and other such items which do not require much of chewing. Gradually, as time keeps passing your initial discomfort will gradually wither away. At this stage it is important to stay away from foods like nuts, toffee, pop corn, chewing gum, pizza crusts and other chewy items to avoid any kind of damage or dislocation of the braces.

It is also important to avoid consumption of sugary drinks including sodas and colas. All these drinks are rich in both sugar and acids. These drinks may result in easy discolouration of your braces as well as the teeth.

Make sure pain relieving medications handy

Orthodontic braces are not meant to hurt you and as such those do not hurt. But the appliances require some time to make you get used to those. During this adjustment period you may have to go through some discomfort and irritation in the mouth. So, it is better to keep some pain relieving medicines handy since the day one of having the appliances fitted to your teeth. In the course of the treatment if you require some kind of adjustments made to your braces during those times you may require these pain medications too, warn specialists who deal with orthodontics in Wimbledon.

As the appliances constantly rub against the soft tissues of your cheeks, lips and the chin there could be some irritation. This problem settles itself down on its own within a few days although you may apply little orthodontic wax on the sharp and inflicting edges of the appliance to minimise the discomfort. In addition to that you should gargle the mouth a few times a day with lukewarm saltwater to take care of pain and soreness.

Something else could go wrong too

From time to time your brackets may go loose, and even the wires could become protruding all on a sudden. Usually these brackets become loose when you indulge in hard, sticky or chewy foods. You must get in touch with your treatment provider immediately if this happens. If the problem is not resolved faster, in that case the appliances may undergo further and more severe damages almost in no time.

Highly skilled and experienced dentists at the SW19 Confidental Dental Clinic in London explain protruding wires is a common issue with metal braces. Applying some amount of orthodontic wax proves helpful although you must report the matter to your dentist urgently and secure a permanent solution.

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