While most children hate them, it is a fact that wearing braces early on in your life takes care of a number of issues which may surface later on in life. Some of the issues we may face include:
- too much space between teeth
- crooked teeth
- too less space between teeth
- over biting/under biting.
It may not seem like much in the beginning when you see your child with these problems but the truth is that the earlier you deal with it, the better it is for your child. Also, it should be looked at as an investment into their future health. The one thing that children need to remember is the fact that they need to care for their braces well as this will not only keep them free of infections but they can hope to take off their braces sooner than they imagined.
Foods:
You have to pay attention when it comes to eating with braces. The main problem foods are the ones that can get stuck in your braces or the ones that are too hard to chew on. So, avoid sticky, chewy and tough food items. This will increase your discomfort and can cause trouble as hard food items can damage the braces. Also, you may want to consider changing habits you have had for a long time such as biting on pens or even your nails for that matter. While you can stop the habit while you have braces, you may find that the habit does not exist anymore when you remove your braces.
Brushing and Flossing:
While it is critical for children to brush twice every day and also floss after a meal, it becomes even more important when you are wearing braces. Make sure your child brushes their teeth with a soft toothbrush and hand-hold the flossing until they get the hang of it. You should be careful while you thread the floss through the gaps in your teeth and the braces. The process itself should be slow and it will not be long before they get the hangs of it. This helps in keeping the teeth and the braces clean of any left-over food particles.
Dealing with small Braces problem:
There may be several small instances when you may worry about what you need to do. For instance, children can get hurt while in school or at play. If the wires or the tooth snaps then it is extremely important to see an orthodontist as soon as possible. While your life need not come to standstill, it is important that you take additional care when you do things like this can prevent several injuries and problems for your child.
Protection while at school: Children can use a guard over their braces if they are into any of the sports. Using a guard will not only protect the braces but will ensure that your teeth stay intact.