The school holiday season is over. Temperatures are cooling off and fall sports are about to begin while children head back to school. If you or your child is on braces, you should follow the guidelines of your Frisco Orthodontists on oral health care. Here are some tips on the care and maintenance of braces and other oral health recommendations as you prepare your children to go back to school.

Cleaning Regimen

Taking care of your gums and teeth while still wearing braces is crucial to the overall oral health of your child. The complete teeth cleaning regimen should include flossing, mouthwash, and brushing two times a day. Flossing sufficiently may take a few minutes and kids should learn how to conduct this necessary element of oral hygiene properly. Flossing and mouthwash is best done at night when there is more time. Also remember to abide by the 2×2 rule of brushing teeth. Ensure you and your children brush your teeth two minutes, twice each day. This helps to keep teeth clean and healthy. If you want to brush in the afternoon, remember to pack a toothbrush. Apart from a toothbrush, a braces care kit especially for children who are new to braces should include: toothpaste, dental floss, lip balm, and dental wax.

Carry a Water Bottle

Health experts advise people to drink 8 glasses or 2 ½ liters. Drinking water is not only helps to keep your child hydrated, it also removes food particles from their teeth and braces. As a result, your mouth is clean, and you are able to fight tooth decay and cavities. Additionally, drinking water will keep kids from drinking sugary beverages that promote stain teeth and rot.

Do not Forget Rubber Bands

If your child is required to use rubber bands, they should carry rubber bands to replace the ones that get damaged. If they have a locker, some rubber bands should be stored there. Rubber bands lose their elasticity and wear down over time; this is why they need to be replaced often. Wearing them helps prevent the hooks from cutting or probing into your child’s cheeks. Rubber bands also ensure the treatment goes at an average pace. It is worth remembering that elastic bands also help move teeth; therefore, failing to wear them will delay the duration of your child’s treatment.

Watch Your Diet

Orthodontists usually advise their patients to stay away from certain types of foods like crunchy, sticky, gooey, and hard items that are likely to damage or break the brackets and wires of the braces. Since the temptation to chew gum or eat candy is higher in school, ensure you make a healthy breakfast for your kids. A healthy morning meal includes yogurt, eggs, and fruit smoothies. If the lunch menu at school is offering foods that pose a danger to braces, pack lunch for your kids. Some of the recommended foods are cooked vegetables, soft foods like macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, lean meat. At all cost avoid soft drinks and chips. Bananas are also a great snack. These fruits are high in fiber and potassium which promotes bone and heart health. If you are a fan of hard fruits like pears or apples, chop them into pieces before leaving for school and chew them using your back teeth. Biting directly into hard fruits may damage your braces.

As you prepare to go back to school, the main things you should look out for, with regards to caring for braces, are your cleaning regimen, consumption of water, diet, and rubber bands. If you have any questions and concerns, do not hesitate to contact your local Frisco Orthodontists at Orthodontist Select.

We are specialists

It’s time to make the right call and seek an orthodontist that is truly a specialist in their field and has the best interest of you and your child in mind.  The independent doctors who have all been certified as specialists by Orthodontist Select are here to offer you high quality treatment for a lasting, beautiful smile.  They offer complimentary consultations with no referral required at any of their locations. Orthodontist Select certified practices treat families in the Frisco, McKinney, Allen and surrounding neighborhoods.

Price Family Orthodontics Frisco
Wise Orthodontics Frisco
RX Smile Frisco
Rendon Orthodontics Allen
Rendon Orthodontics Frisco
Stonebridge Orthodontics McKinney