Ensuring Your Smile’s Success
Orthodontic treatment at Rewards Dental can give you the smile you’ve always wanted, but it takes a team effort. We’re here for you every step of the way, but you need to do your part at home to keep your smile transformation on track.
Here are the best ways to care for your smile while you have braces.
Be careful of what you eat.
It’s not a matter of what you can eat but what you cannot. If you have traditional braces, you should avoid any foods that are small, hard, and/or sticky. These can include cereal, nuts, seeds, candies, gum, etc. You should also avoid foods that require you to take large initial bites like apples, carrots, etc. The good news is that you can still eat most fruits and vegetables, though we highly recommended that you slice them up first into smaller pieces. And, if you have Invisalign® aligners, you don’t need to modify your diet at all! Simply remove you aligners when you eat and pop them back in when you’re done and you’ve brushed your teeth.
Brush and floss as directed.
If you don’t brush well during orthodontic treatment, you may develop cavities or yellow staining on your teeth.
Generally, we recommend that you brush your teeth three times a day (after every meal), paying close attention to the areas above and below the wire. We also encourage you to use a water flosser or floss threader to clean between the teeth, as it is common for food to get stuck between the teeth, wires, and brackets.
Follow our directions.
Brackets and wires are the main components of braces, but you may have adjunct appliances or treatments to improve your bite. If directed, wear your elastics or rubber bands when we tell you to. Not doing so can lengthen your treatment time—meaning more time in braces.
Come to all your appointments!
Visiting our Kent, Burien, or Redmond dental office during your orthodontic treatment allows Dr. Vashi to assess your progress, monitor your tooth movement, and adjust your treatment if necessary. We will also monitor the health of your teeth to ensure that your teeth and gums are in prime condition when we remove your braces.