Wearing braces leads to a better, straighter smile. However, it is your responsibility to take care of many things during this journey. Your orthodontist will guide you, but it helps to know what to avoid. 

Skipping certain habits and foods can:

  • Stop damage to your braces
  • Reduce pain
  • Quicken treatment duration

Here are five key things not to do while on your orthodontic adventure.

1. Don’t Ignore Oral Care 

Don’t let food bits stay around braces as they catch germs. This can cause plaque, holes, gum disease, and stains around brackets. So, brush well after meals with a soft brush and toothpaste with fluoride. Floss daily using threaders or tiny brushes that work around wires. Visit your dentist often to clean plaque and tartar.

For those getting braces in Johns Creek, good oral care is crucial for success, no matter the place. Newpark Orthodontics stresses brushing and flossing for all patients so that the smile is healthy and bright after the treatment ends.

2. Don’t Eat Sticky or Hard Foods

Patients with braces need to avoid specific food choices. It includes avoid eating hard, sticky and chewy food items as it can lead to irreparable damage to the braces.
For example:

  • Sticky candies like caramels and taffies tend to stick onto braces, brackets, and wires, causing them to bend or break. 
  • Biting onto hard foods like nuts, popcorn kernels, and hard candies can damage your brackets and wires. 

So, you should entirely steer clear of such foods. However, there are many soft food you can choose like: 

  • Cooked vegetables
  • Pasta
  • Yogurt
  • Soft fruits

If you don’t change your eating habits, the braces are at risk of harm, leading to an unplanned trip to the orthodontist for repair work that might extend the treatment duration.

3. Don’t Forget to Protect Braces

Contact sports without mouthguards can break braces and harm teeth. Hits can crack brackets and bend wires. Always wear mouthguards made for braces during sports. These mouthguards are strong and absorb hits, saving braces from harm. Talk to your orthodontist for the best mouthguard advice.

4. Don’t Touch

Touching or playing with brackets and wires creates risks because such actions may make them loose or damaged. Playing with your braces creates two problems: it slows down your treatment results and causes painful mouth conditions. 

Avoid performing any actions that involve pushing or pulling your braces or picking at the devices. Contact your orthodontist immediately if you find any components of your braces loose or broken. Making self-attempts to repair these devices may worsen your situation and create additional problems.

5. Do not skip orthodontist visits

These visits check your progress, make needed changes to braces, and keep treatment on track. Missing checks could lengthen your treatment and harm final results. Always attend all set appointments. If you must reschedule, tell your orthodontist early. Being active in care, including attending visits, is needed to get the smile you want.

Avoid these “don’ts” to have a smooth orthodontic journey.