Thinking of improving the condition of your smile with orthodontics? These ten tips can only be of great help to you!
It’s a fact: more and more adults are turning to orthodontics to end their dental problems. Did you think you escaped it? Just because you've left adolescence does not mean that you are prohibited from using braces! Rest assured: while it may make you feel like you're making a radical throwback to your college days, you are making the right choice!
Whether you chose to postpone this moment as much as possible to a time when your decisions weren't necessarily always made in a reasonable and reasoned way, or if you simply didn't have the economic means to do so before, it doesn't matter! You are now about to take the plunge and here are all our tips to make the start of this experience less unpleasant to go through.
1 – Schedule your appointment for a Friday
While each person has their own pain tolerance threshold, it's a safe bet that the first 48 to 72 hours after your braces are on will be difficult for you. And we are not talking about a simple unpleasant feeling, but rather a real pain to bear. Not to mention that one of the first things your dentist will tell you is probably ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory drug that slows down desired tooth movement. That's why it's best to schedule your date on a Friday, so that you have at least the weekend in front of you to rest!
2 – adopt a liquid diet
The pain can be so severe in the first few days that it may be difficult, if not impossible, to chew even rather soft foods. We therefore recommend that you make sure you have everything you need in your refrigerator to follow a liquid diet for several days: purees, soups, compotes, smoothies, ice cream (which will also relieve you)… Vary the pleasures so as not to starve!
3 – don't skimp on orthodontic wax
In order to avoid any unpleasant surprises, you should know that your braces are very likely to injure the inside of your mouth and thus create many small sores. The only solution to relieve pain? Place a barrier between the metal clip and the lesion. To do this, the orthodontic wax remains the best option. Make sure you get some before your appointment, this product will help you live your first days of adaptation more serenely, where each reduced pain is a deliverance.
4 – Make the front camera of your mobile your best ally
After a few days of a liquid diet, you can start to diversify your diet. You will then discover the pleasure of food debris that gets stuck in the rings. If this phenomenon is common enough when you are not wearing braces, just imagine how recurrent it becomes once it does. So when you eat, quickly checking to see if anything has crept between your teeth using your front camera will quickly become a reflex. And if this is the case, head to the bathroom or the toilet to get rid of it. Which brings us to the next point …
5 – invest in interdental brushes
Be aware that there will be times when even the best toothbrush cannot remove all of the food scraps stuck in your device. Fortunately, the interdental brushes exist and you will soon be able to do without them! With their different sizes, these will allow you to reach every corner of your mouth: nothing will escape you!
6 – never go out without your first aid kit
Get a toiletry bag in which you will slip these few essentials which can only make your life easier: toothbrush, toothpaste, interdental brushes of different sizes, orthodontic wax, paracetamol in case of pain … With such a well supplied kit always at hand, wherever you go, you should be able to get out of any unexpected situation!
7 – Save the number of your dentist in your favorites
At first, everything will seem new and scary to you. This is why you will certainly be more likely to worry, not knowing how to proceed with care, even the simplest, by good habits already acquired (a particularly unpleasant feeling of discomfort, an abnormal bracket, a wire that hurts you …) This is precisely why we advise you to register a number on which to contact your dentist for any problem that may arise. If she's not thinking of giving it to you directly, don't hesitate to ask her! You may never use it, but at least, if necessary, you can directly rely on its expertise, which will make you feel more secure right away.
8 – Don't worry if you talk strangely for a while
At first you may have the feeling that everything that comes out of your mouth is absolutely incomprehensible. Rest assured: it won't last long. After your braces are put on, your lip placement and saliva production will change, which is why you will find it so difficult to express yourself for the first few days. Once you get used to it, your normal diction will come back very quickly!
9 – take your lip balm with you everywhere
Another consequence of getting rings in your mouth is that your lips will now dry out much faster than before. Be aware that this is because you tend not to close your mouth completely, embarrassed by what is there now.
Do you remember that famous first aid kit that we told you about a little earlier? The good idea is to also slip in a lip balm that will help you soothe and reduce dehydration in your mouth.
10 – keep in mind that you are not doing all this for nothing
All these inconveniences are certainly disturbing, even painful, but do not forget why you are making all of these sacrifices… Soon, all of this will be a bad memory and what you will keep is a superb set of teeth and foolproof new dental care habits. Give you the smile you've always dreamed of!
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