While metal braces effectively work to straighten teeth, fix misaligned bites, and treat malocclusions, it’s important to properly care for your braces to ensure they do their job as efficiently as possible. If and when your braces do become damaged, you should contact your orthodontist promptly, as damaging your braces can lengthen the time you need to wear them. Simply put, caring for your braces will be beneficial to your time and, more importantly, your teeth.
At Trapnell Orthodontics, we know how crucial it is to maintain braces. Though it’s not always a simple task, protecting your braces from potential damage is key. Let our experienced orthodontists and helpful staff fill you in on how to prevent damage to your braces. A beautiful smile can have a major impact on your appearance, and achieving that smile can be easy through proper care.
Unfriendly Foods
When it comes to braces, you always hear about the many foods you should avoid to keep them clean and intact. Not only are many of these foods harmful to your teeth, but a number of them can also damage your braces by bending wires or breaking brackets. Do what’s best for your braces and refrain from eating the foods listed below:
- Sticky Treats: Taffy, caramel, and other sticky treats can be detrimental to your braces, running the risk of pulling of brackets and damaging wires.
- Crunchy Snacks: Hard foods like popcorn and chips can put pressure on your appliances while chewing and can bend wires or cause brackets to pop off.
- Chewy Foods: Similar to sticky candy, chewy foods such as bagels, licorice and beef jerky can also pull on your appliances and cause damage.
- Foods You Bite Into: Biting into apples and corn on the cob can harm your braces much like that of hard or crunchy foods.
Harmful Habits
In addition to the many foods you must avoid in caring for your braces, there are some habits you should avoid to further protect your braces from damage. Such habits can break or bend wires and damage brackets. Take a look at a few harmful habits for braces:
- Biting pens and pencils
- Biting your nails
- Opening things or breaking seals with your teeth
- Chewing ice
Let Us Help
From Provo and Payson to Springville and Spanish Fork, Trapnell Orthodontics is the place to go for Utah County patients. We strive to provide our patients with the best care and perfect smiles. Contact us today for all your orthodontic needs.
