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Life with Braces

life with braces orthodontics in phoenix

Eating

Now that you have braces, you may have to adjust your regular eating habits slightly. Foods that are sticky (gum, taffy, skittles, fruit roll-ups), hard (jaw breakers, popcorn, ice, raw carrots) or high in sugar can damage your braces or cause food to stick in and around your appliances. Breaking up foods into smaller pieces can also make food easier to eat. Foods like spaghetti, broccoli, meats, apples, bread, etc. can be cut into smaller pieces to avoid getting caught in your braces or causing excess force against them. Additionally, having access to a toothbrush after meals can help ensure that caught food isn't left behind to bother your teeth and gums.

Discomfort

Braces may cause discomfort from time to time, especially the first day or two after an adjustment. Patients with sensitive teeth or who experience soreness with adjustments may want to consider taking a small amount of over-the-counter pain reliever an hour prior to their adjustment appointment. This will provide some relief for the patient. 

Oral Hygiene

Keeping your teeth clean will be even more important with braces. Wires, brackets and rubber bands can create additional pockets for food and bacteria to build up. Brushing twice a day with toothpaste and after each meal with a dry brush will help keep your teeth and braces clean. Flouride and mouthwash can also help kill any bacteria left behind. It's important to maintain regular teeth cleaning habits through-out the cycle of your braces to help avoid cavities, gum disease and discolored teeth.  

  • Children's Dental Village
  • 7360 South McClintock Dr.
  • Tempe, AZ 85283
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  • Office Hours
  • Mon-Tues: 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
  • Wed-Thurs: 7 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
  • Lunch daily: Noon - 1 p.m.

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CDC UPDATE

As we continue to adapt to the changing nature of Covid-19, our office routinely monitors the Community Level of Covid-19 as part of CDC public indoor guidance/safety protocols. Currently, our community level is LOW, which means masks are welcome but not required in our office. If you or your child are at severe risk for illness from Covid-19, we encourage you to wear a mask in all public indoor areas, per CDC guidelines. As we continue to monitor our local levels, we will require indoor masking in our office if our local level is upgraded to HIGH.

Children’s Dental Village team members will continue to adhere to Covid-19 safety protocols. The health and safety of our patients and families is our top priority and the clinical team will continue wearing all proper personal protective equipment. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.