Thanks to advanced treatment options, there are many things in your life that won't have to change when you have braces. Treatment options are more comfortable and discreet than ever before.However, to get the most out of your treatment and ensure the smile you're investing in is well taken care of during its transformation, there are five things you may want to avoid while you have braces:Some foods
Braces and some foods just don’t mix. Try to stay away from sticky or hard foods like popcorn, gum, taffy, hard candies and nuts. Take more care with some fruit and veggies—for example, remove corn from the cob and cut foods like apples and carrots into smaller pieces.Touching your braces
Unless you are cleaning them, keep your hands away from your braces. Don’t bend or try to move anything on your own. If a wire or bracket pops off, call your Docbraces orthodontist and make an appointment to have it repaired.Contact sports (unless you have a mouth guard)
You can continue to play sports if you have braces, but if it’s a sport where there is a possibility of getting hit in the mouth, you may need to wear a specially-designed mouthguard. The mouthguard is designed to fit comfortably over your braces.Teeth whitening products
Wait until your braces come off before you whiten your teeth. Teeth whitening products only whiten what they touch, so avoid using whitening products like gels, toothpastes and mouthwashes while your braces are on. Otherwise, the result could be unevenly-coloured teeth when your braces come off.As if you needed another reason…
Don’t bite your fingernails or chew pencils or pens, especially with braces. You may not notice how often you do these things, but they can cause damage to your braces.Taking good care of your braces is vital to the success of your “mouth changing” experience–avoiding or being cautious of a few things while you have them is a small investment to make.
