Befriending Your New Braces

by Kevin Smith Author

Braces are a common staple for teenagers around the country; it’s hard to find a middle or high school yearbook in which less than half your classmates donned the infamous corrective wires. However, as intimidating as they may look, they’re still one of the best ways to correct your teeth - whether your adult sets grew in crooked or you developed an overbite as a child. Here are a few handy tips for you or your kids to adjust to their braces, to shorten the time you need to wear them, and to find the best cosmetic dentists in Houston, TX

Watch Your Diet

It’s best to give some discretion to what you eat to avoid developing cavities in crevices daily brushing may not be able to reach. Sticky foods like gummy candy should be avoided, as well as any foods that crumble while you eat like chips or popcorn, for both of these may lodge into your braces and cause problems; also, highly acidic drinks such as sodas, energy drinks, or coffee, may also cause discoloration in your teeth once your braces are removed.

Use Wax When Needed

While orthodontists use the greatest discretion when setting up the wire on your braces, there may be occasions when it’s cut too long and it begins to scrape at the back of your mouth. In this case, many orthodontists will offer non-toxic wax to buffer the sharper parts of your braces, so you can protect your lips and mouth from painful cuts until your next visit.

Ease Away Your Pain

During the first few months of wearing braces, the strain the wires and ties put on your teeth to straighten them may cause mild to moderate pain, especially when new ties are installed every few weeks or the more intensive chains are used. This pain can easily be alleviated by taking a mild painkiller, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, until your teeth accustom themselves to the strain. If the pain ends up being too extreme, don’t hesitate to visit your orthodontist as soon as possible for other solutions.

Do Proper Research

Finding an orthodontist that best fits your financial and medical needs may be tricky, but there are several resources to help you. The Internet, for example, is always a great place to start; search engines such as Google can direct you to some of the best cosmetic dentists in Houston straight to their website, while other services such as the local newspaper or the American Dental Association web page will help you compare between several local dentists and orthodontists at once.

Put on a happy face with braces and create the beautiful smile of your dreams with these helpful tips, and be sure to search for the best cosmetic dentist in Houston, TX today.