A Guide For What To Expect With Your Child's New Braces
When you have braces put on your child's teeth, there will be a lot of information you need to take in. You will be worried about the level of pain your child will feel, what the process will consist of, how to care for the braces, how long your child will have to wear them and many other things. Reading this article will help you feel better about your child getting braces and will educate you on how your child can properly take care of them.
The process of getting braces
When your child goes in for braces, you'll be glad to know that they won't experience a lot of pain. The most uncomfortable part of the ordeal will be having their mouth kept open during the process. This will make their jaw sore after the appointment. The process shouldn't take more than a couple of hours. During the appointment the dentist will clean their teeth and put the braces in place.
Once they get home, they may feel some discomfort while their jaw recuperates from being open so long. Discomfort from the braces and their teeth is also normal. However, an over-the-counter pain reliever should be enough to alleviate the discomfort.
Caring for braces the first couple of weeks
The first couple of weeks are going to be the most challenging. This is when your child will notice the braces rubbing on other areas of their mouth, possibly causing painful sores. A good way to treat the sores is by having them rinse their mouth with a warm salt and water solution. Also, make sure they are using the dental wax the dentist provided to cover any bothersome parts on the braces.
After a couple of weeks your child should be used to their braces. There may still be times when they need to use the dental wax, but their mouth should have grown used to having the braces in place for the most part.
Eating with braces
Eating soft foods will be very helpful and recommended for the first week. As your child gets more comfortable with the braces and their mouth feels better, they can add regular food back into their diet. However, there are many foods they should avoid while they have braces. A few examples of these foods include licorice, popcorn, gum, nuts, and corn on the cob. These foods will get stuck in the braces.
What to expect from the braces
The amount of time your child wears their braces will depend on several factors. They may even be in them a shorter or longer duration than the dentist originally said. What it all comes down to is how well your child's teeth respond to the braces and how well your child listens to the instructions given for caring for them.
There is a little more care involved with braces. Along with brushing their teeth a couple times a day, your child should also brush after each meal while they have braces on.
You will need to take your child back in to see the dentist periodically. The dentist will check on the braces and tighten them so they can continue shifting the teeth toward a proper alignment. Be prepared for your child to be uncomfortable for a few days each time they have their braces tightened. Once again, pain reliever can be used to help them feel better.
For more information about dental care, contact a professional such as Kokkirala Rajeshwer.