Can You Care For Your Teeth Braces During The Holidays?
During the holidays, you cannot forget to take care of your braces. If you are traveling, you must take extra precautions to ensure your braces remain in good condition the duration of your trip. To help you accomplish this, here are a few ways to prepare for traveling with your braces.
Pack Extra Supplies
At home, you likely have several items handy to help you take care of your teeth, gums, and braces. On the road though, you might need to pack some extra items to ensure you can handle any situation that arises with your braces.
For instance, you not only need your toothbrush and floss, but you also need rubber bands, dental wax, and pain medication. If you have recently had your braces tightened or you are switching to a new clear aligner tray while traveling, you could experience some discomfort. Having the medication readily available can give you the relief you need.
In addition to these supplies, you should take a set of tweezers with you. If you have a loose wire, you can use the tweezers to gently put it back into place. A set of nail clippers can come in handy if you must clip the wire.
Watch What You Eat
Unless you have convinced your orthodontist to travel along with you, you need to be extra cautious about what you eat. Some foods could cause damage to your braces, and you could be forced to find an emergency orthodontist to treat you.
Gummy and chewy foods should be avoided, if possible. You also need to be careful with eating hard fruits and vegetables, such as apples and celery. Try cutting them into smaller pieces instead of biting into them directly.
Try to avoid hard candies and cookies, too. They could damage the wire on your braces. If you are wearing clear aligners, you should be obviously removing your braces before eating.
Be Prepared to Handle Emergency Problems
You can likely get through some emergencies until you see your orthodontist. For instance, you can apply dental wax over a broken or loose bracket to keep it from irritating your mouth.
If a wire cannot be pushed into place, clip it. Your orthodontist can fix it once you return home. If your mouth is irritated, you can swish saltwater in your mouth to alleviate some of the discomfort.
Talk to your orthodontist about other ways you can prepare to care for your orthodontics while on holiday.