5 Successful Ways to Prevent Tooth Decay in Kids with Braces
Getting braces is not necessarily a pleasant experience, especially for kids. It may be painful and they might feel conscious. Braces do straighten the teeth but there is a possibility of tooth decay if kids don’t practice good oral hygiene. Today’s guest post shares 5 ways to help prevent tooth decay in kids with braces and get a healthy smile. Read on!
This is a guest post by Sharon Williams
How to prevent tooth decay in kids with braces
Follow the precautions listed below and your child can avoid tooth decay. In the end kids will have healthy teeth and end up with a straight and perfect smile once those braces come off. Smile 🙂
1. Ditch the Toothbrush
If your child has teeth straightening braces, throw away the regular toothbrush. It won’t help in removing the food particles stuck in the braces.
Get an interdental toothbrush for effective cleaning of the teeth that has braces. This brush has bristles that are shaped like a Christmas tree. They help in removing the food residue in the braces and on the teeth.
2. Eat, Brush, Rinse, Repeat
Braces will naturally block the food from escaping the teeth after eating. Therefore, it is crucial that your child brushes after every meal.
Brushing will ensure that the food has less time to stick to the teeth, thus lowering the chances of decay. It will also ensure there are no brace stains. Kids may resist this idea, but once those braces come off, your child will be happy you made them do it.
Encourage your child to rinse with mouthwash too. It helps in disinfecting the entire mouth, including the spots under the braces where the toothbrush can’t reach and can prevent tooth decay in kids with braces.
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3. Keep Sugary Foods and Drinks at Bay
Getting braces as a kid can be challenging and annoying because sugary foods and drinks are a strict no-no. Keep candies and sugary drinks away from your child to prevent tooth decay in kids with braces.
Sugary foods will surely cause decay which will create dental problems later. Even your dentist would agree that prevention is better than cure in this case.
4. Include Brace-Friendly Foods
Your child needs to avoid certain foods and stick to brace-friendly food until the orthodontic treatment comes to an end.
Keep away sticky foods like gum or caramel as they are difficult to remove once they get stuck to the braces. Hard foods like candy, nuts, corn on the cob, carrots, etc., should also be avoided as they can bend wires or break a bracket. This could damage the braces.
Encourage your child to eat soft, brace-safe foods like mangoes, pasta, bananas, mashed potatoes, poultry, etc. Stick to milk, water and freshly-made juices when it comes to drinks and prevent tooth decay in kids with braces.
5. Schedule Regular Check-Ups
Since it is possible for your kid to get tooth decay with braces, you must not miss dental appointments. The dentist can identify early signs of decay, if any, and prevent it from getting worse.
The frequency of the appointments will depend upon your dentist but go at least twice a year for a thorough cleaning. The nature of your child’s braces will determine what kind of cleaning is required and how often to visit the dentist.
Guest post by Sharon Williams
Sharon day job is to handle digital marketing for Koch Orthodontics in Lawrenceville, GA. With a flair for creating compelling content that clears the clutter and connects with the audience in an instant, she writes about dental topics to educate and help her readers. She truly believes that a genuine smile can win a million hearts and talks to her readers about improving their smiles and overall dental health, as well as enhancing their overall lifestyle. In her free time, she likes to organize small meets in her neighborhood where she brings people together to discuss various topics that she writes about.
