Whether your child will be seeing their friends again online or in person at the start of this school year, they’re all going to be checking each other out for changes. Going back to school with braces, whether you’re sporting Invisalign, metal braces, or interceptive orthodontics, is a big deal. Here’s how to help your kids adjust and set them up for success.
Create a Braces Kit
Along with all the pencils, notebooks, and other school supplies you stock up on for the start of school, make sure a braces kit is on the must-have list. Your teen should always have the following supplies with them to help them manage their orthodontics:
- Toothbrush and toothpaste: For brushing after lunch and before putting aligners or retainers back in.
- Dental floss or floss picks: To get rid of any food particles caught between brackets and wires.
- Wax: To cover any protruding wires that are causing pain and discomfort.
- Appliance case: For Invisalign Teen or a retainer so it doesn’t get lost or damaged during lunch.
Simplify Lunch
When braces become part of your household, mealtime will require some tweaks, and that includes the lunch you send your child to school with every day. They may have their favorites, but the crunchy, chewy foodstuffs are no longer the best things to eat when orthodontics are in the mix. To avoid damaging braces or getting things stuck in between the hardware, stick to fare like sandwiches with soft bread, pasta, cheese, yogurt, steamed vegetables, soup, and the like.
Make Hydrating Easy
Every kid loves a cool water bottle, so stock up on a few of their favorites so they are never without the best beverage for their braces. Having a reusable water bottle handy, in their locker or backpack or at their desk, keeps them hydrated, neutralizes food acids, and washes food particles away. These moves all help keep braces clean and protect teeth from developing decay during orthodontic treatment.
Boost Their Spirits
Some kids are psyched to have braces. Others are really bummed about it. Remind your adolescent that they are certainly not the teen with braces in their school. This is the time of life when it is easiest to readjust a person’s bite and alignment because their mouths are still growing and more pliable. Before they know it, they’ll begin to see changes in their appearance, their teeth will straighten out, and they’ll be excited to work hard to maintain good oral health and get to the end of their treatment and the ultimate reward of a straight smile.
Working diligently to adjust to braces and follow the rules means the treatment will go more smoothly, which means there is less chance of a setback and less time wearing braces, in or out of school. If you think your teen or child is ready for orthodontics, schedule a consultation with Soleil Orthodontics in Woodinville, Washington, and find out what type of braces are right for your child.