Things To Keep On Hand For Your Kid's Braces

When your kid needs braces to straighten their teeth, there are a few changes that you'll all have to adapt to. Here, you'll find a short list of some things to keep on hand to make wearing braces as comfortable and safe as it can be.

Custom Fit Mouth-Guard

If your kid is active in organized sports or just playing around being a kid, they need a custom fit mouth-guard to wear. Mouth injuries are so much worse when braces are on the teeth. What would have been just a small bump will end up being a nice gash.

You can pick up mouth-guards at a lot of the sporting goods stores, but when you have braces, it can be difficult to find the guard that fits properly. Going to the dentist or orthodontist to have a custom fit guard made won't take long, but it will be very effective in protecting the mouth from injuries during play.

Pocket Travel Toothbrushes                                              

You know the small plastic toothbrushes that come preloaded with toothpaste? Well, those will become very handy at school, while dining out, or spending the day at amusement parks – these things will help keep food out of the braces. When food gets stuck in the braces, your kid will pick and rub with the tongue until the food comes out – this can result in sore spots in the mouth and a tired and sore jaw.

Always Carry Water

Keeping the mouth wet will do two things – help prevent sore spots from forming where the braces rub against the lips and cheeks and keep food and debris from building up around the braces. Braces toward the back of the mouth area always more difficult to keep clean. Keeping water on hand to sip throughout the day will help keep the moisture levels up and rinse away that old food before it gets pressed further under and into the braces.

Extra Bands and a Mirror

Those little rubber bands can come off at the most inconvenient time. Keep a small compact mirror with some of the bands stuck inside. This way, you'll have everything on hand that will be needed to get the rubber bands put back in place quickly.

Talk with your orthodontist to learn more about caring for your child's braces. If you and your kid do your jobs right, your child will have the beautiful, perfectly aligned smile that you're hoping for.   

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