It’s common to practice double-checking that you have your essentials like keys, wallet, and phone before heading out the door. There are a few more necessities to add once you begin orthodontic treatment. To keep on schedule, you’ll need to stick to the greatest oral hygiene practices, such as brushing your teeth after every meal. Therefore, if you wear braces, read on to find out about some essential accessories for your braces kit.
1. A Water Bottle
Having a water bottle on hand is the easiest approach to combat oral health issues like cavities (which would delay your treatment timetable). Saliva is the body’s first line of defense against cavity-causing bacteria and enamel-eroding acids, and water helps rinse food debris and stimulate saliva production.
2. An Interproximal Brush
However diminutive in size, an interproximal brush plays a crucial role in oral hygiene. Simply put, this facilitates the painless elimination of plaque and food debris between your brackets and their wires. As a result of its usefulness, many patients keep using it even after their braces have been removed.
3. A Small Mirror
If you want to keep your teeth in good condition, brushing after every meal and snack can require you to forego the washroom. If you don’t have access to a mirror after cleaning your teeth to check for food particles lodged in your braces, be sure to bring a mirror. Your phone’s selfie feature will also do the trick.
4. Dental Wax
Brackets and wires can irritate the soft tissue in your mouth, especially at the start of treatment, even though braces have gone a long way in terms of aesthetics and comfort. Dental wax helps protect your gums, lips, and the inside of your cheeks by covering any sharp edges. You can safely leave it in place all day because the substance is long-lasting and harmless. Take it out first if you want a clean mouth after brushing and flossing.
5. Few More Elastics
If your orthodontist prescribes elastics as part of your treatment plan to improve your bite, you must adhere to their recommendations about the number and frequency of elastics to be worn. Spare elastics should be kept on hand if any are lost or damaged. But don’t give in to the need to add extra elastics! In orthodontics, “more is better” is not true and will likely cause new problems that will take longer to fix on top of the initial problems.
6. Contact Number of Your Orthodontist
Although not strictly a tool, this is an absolute must-have for anyone with braces. After all, the last thing you want to be doing in the event of an emergency, like a loose bracket, is searching for your orthodontist’s contact information online. Please do yourself a favor and jot down all their contact info (including their hours of operation) in advance.
Although getting used to braces can take some time, keep in mind that they are an investment in your oral health and self-esteem. The good news is that if you have the necessary resources at your disposal, you may enjoy the stress-free, pleasant time you deserve.
7. Painkillers
Your mouth may be sore, especially in the first few days after an adjustment. Until your teeth adjust to their new position, having some over-the-counter pain relievers on hand will be helpful.
8. Toothbrush and Toothpaste
Those who wear metal braces should always brush their teeth after eating to remove any food particles that could harbor hazardous oral bacteria. Gum disease and other oral health problems might develop if this is ignored.
Bringing a travel toothbrush and tube of toothpaste is a fantastic way to simplify this. If you want to keep your toothbrush in good condition, you should air it out after each use and avoid storing it in an airtight container.
