Braces: Caring For Your Investment

As anyone who has ever gotten an estimate from an orthodontist knows, braces aren't cheap. What they lack in affordability, however, they more than make up for in their benefits. Literally nothing else in the dental world exists that can make as dramatic a change in the appearance of you or your child's teeth. If you've gone your entire life avoiding a big, toothy grin because you didn't want others to see your crooked placement or you don't want your child to go through that experience, it is a sound investment. But it is an investment and it should be cared for as such. Here are some tips that can help you do just that.

Soak Your Retainer

Towards the end of your braces treatment, you'll likely be given a retainer you can take out of your mouth at the end of the day or when you eat. After a while, it's going to lose some its freshness, so to speak. Soaking it in a denture cleaner for a couple of hours every so often will get rid of some of the plaque buildup and get it as good as new. You might want to run this idea past your orthodontist just to be on the safe side. Some retainers are made from materials that may not react well with such cleaners.

Dental Wax

Wearing braces isn't a terribly painful experience, but there will be moments when you want to rip all of that metal out of your head and breathe a deep sigh of relief. This feeling will usually strike right after one of your tightening appointments, when the majority of the soreness takes place. However, even in the day-to-day wearing of the braces, irritation can occur. Your mouth isn't accustomed to having metal brackets rub against the gums and lips. Apply a bit of dental wax and you may find that it creates a much smoother environment, free of some of that irritation.

Flossing

It is a common misconception that flossing with braces is impossible or ill-advised. Actually, nothing could be further from the truth. Flossing is one of the best things you can do for your teeth and you shouldn't allow all that metal to get in the way of doing it. Having said that, it does require some special care. Waxed floss is a good place to start. Be very careful when threading it through your teeth. If you're used to snapping the floss down, get out of that habit. A smooth up and down motion will be sufficient.