As the proud new owner of braces, your children may be excited yet leery about caring for them while at school. However, with a little dedication and forethought, your kids will thrive while at school and wearing braces. Check out these five tips for caring for braces while away from home.
- Bring a small baggie or pouch for oral health care items. This pouch should contain a small toothbrush, mini toothpaste, a floss dispenser and perhaps even a fluoride mouth rinse. Tell your child to brush and floss right after lunch, taking their pouch to a restroom where they can spend a few minutes on this important task. If food is left to fester in the braces, it can lead to bacteria and tooth decay. According to WebMD, braces, wires, springs, rubber bands, and other appliances can attract food and plaque, which can not only stain teeth if not removed but can also lead to plaque and cavities.
- Bring wax just in case. Sometimes, a wire gets loose and pokes the inside of the cheek. This can be painful and annoying, especially when sitting in class all day. Give your child some wax that they may have received from their orthodontist so they can apply it to the tips of those wires to prevent pain. Make sure you follow up with the doctor later so your child can go in for a quick snip of that poking wire or some other type of adjustment.
- Wear lip balm. Braces can often chafe the lips, leading to chapped or even bleeding lips. This can be an inconvenience and embarrassment in school, so advise your child to apply lip balm after every meal to keep the lips supple and soft.
- Bring a retainer case. If your child is also wearing a retainer throughout the day (a common request by orthodontists for kids who just received their first retainer), make sure they carry around their retainer case. It can be tempting to place the retainer in a napkin or in a pocket while eating lunch in the cafeteria. However, this is how retainers get accidentally thrown away. Instead, put it in its proper case and this won’t happen.
- Bring a small mirror. Have your child carry a compact mirror for those times when she or he can’t get to a bathroom. This comes in handy for quick checks of the braces and elastic applications after eating.
Make sure they pack anything else they will need to round out the day, such as a mouth guard if they will be participating in any sports. Following these tips for braces care at school will go a long way toward maintaining a healthy smile. Get in touch with your trusted orthodontists Drs. Savage, Sabol and Visser for more information about proper braces care.
