Orthodontics can drastically improve the appearance of a person's teeth. However, there are certain issues which many people experience whilst wearing braces. Read on to learn more about these issues and what you can do to avoid them:
Tooth staining
People who wear orthodontics are more likely to develop permanent tooth stains than those who do not wear this type of dental device. This is because it is much more difficult for brace-wearers to fully remove food from their teeth, as food particles often end up embedded into the edges of the brackets (the square-shaped components that sit on the centre of each tooth).
If food is left on the surface of the tooth for too long, bacterial plaque will consume it; this, in turn, will result in the bacteria producing an acidic substance which will eat away at the enamel of the tooth. When the enamel is eroded, the yellow-coloured layer that lies underneath it (known as 'dentin') becomes exposed.
This type of staining is permanent and can only be 'fixed' by disguising the affected tooth with a dental crown or veneer. As such, if you have just started wearing braces and would like to avoid having to undergo additional dental treatments like these, you should implement an extremely rigorous dental hygiene routine.
Ideally, you should brush your teeth, floss or use inter-dental brushes, and rinse your mouth thoroughly after every single meal or snack. If you work or go to school most days, it's worth investing in travel-sized versions of the aforementioned dental products, so that you can keep your teeth free from stain-inducing food particles even when you're out and about.
Gum irritation and wounds
Braces are made of up of metal wires and brackets. If the wires break, they can protrude outwards towards the soft tissues of the mouth; this can lead to gum irritation (if the wires are rubbing against the gums) or wounds (if the end piece of the wire is pointing directly into the inner cheek).
These type of abrasions not only make it difficult for a person to comfortably eat, drink or speak but can also be dangerous, as fresh lacerations inside the mouth can become infected quite easily. If this should happen, the person may need to take a course of antibiotics to prevent the infection from spreading to other areas.
If you would prefer not to experience any of the above-mentioned issues, you should try to avoid doing things which could cause your orthodontics to break. These include eating hard or very chewy foods (like carrots, popcorn, toffee and apples) or participating in high impact sports (such as rugby or boxing, for example).
Share16 September 2017
Miranda Raff here. My brother is a stressed-out dental student, so I'm starting this blog on his behalf. I work in a travel agency and my brother is mortified by the number of dental tourism stories I bring home. I book short holidays for people who seem as though they are going to enjoy some relaxation in an exotic country, only to learn that they plan to have cheap dental procedures. Whilst there are good dentists in developing countries, according to my brother, the complex procedures these people plan to have simply can't be finished in such a limited time. This blog is an attempt to inform you about the high skill levels and advanced technology found in Australian dental surgeries. New techniques are being developed every year and Australian dentists are at the forefront of offering these solutions. I really hope this blog helps you to appreciate our dentists.
