Getting Your Child’s Smile Ready for the New School Year Wearing Braces

Back-to-school advertisements are in full swing as summer draws to a close and the new academic year approaches. If your kids embark on this school year wearing braces, it signifies a significant adjustment period. They will encounter dietary changes, pay attention to dental hygiene, and be concerned about peer reactions to their new appearance.

However, with thoughtful preparation and care, this transition can be made comfortable and manageable. Amidst the flurry of acquiring new clothing, footwear, backpacks, and school supplies, consider these strategies to ease the adjustment.

Tip: In case you haven’t yet, it is best to get their routine dental checkup and cleaning completed before the school year starts, so they are ready for those school photos!

Getting Used to Braces

Here are some tips to help your child with braces adjust to their moving teeth as easily as possible for the upcoming school year.

• Post-adjustment meals should consist of soft foods like mashed potatoes, pasta, soups, stews, smoothies, yogurt, and ice cream. Regularly, they must avoid hard or crunchy foods that might harm their braces. opt for fresh fruits, vegetables, whole-grain crackers, sugar-free gum, and cheeses as snack replacements.
• With braces, it’s important to be extra careful with daily brushing and flossing to remove food particles and plaque hidden in the braces. An electric toothbrush, interdental brushes, and flossing picks can help maintain cleanliness. Equip their backpack with these essentials for use after school meals.
• Pack orthodontic wax, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and extra elastics in a zip-lock bag for their backpack. This wax protects sensitive oral tissues from poking wires by being easily moldable over irritating braces.
• If your kids are active in sports all over the school year, a mouthguard is essential to protect braces and oral tissues during hard-core sports activities, just as goggles protect their eyes.
• Always make sure that your kids have a water bottle in their backpack. This ensures hydration and helps rinse trapped debris, promoting fresh breath and preventing decay. Avoid sugary beverages like fruit juices, energy drinks, sports drinks, and sodas to reduce cavity risks.
• If your kids are wearing braces, it’s very important for early detection and treatment of cavities before they grow in size. Fluoride can help in preventing tooth sensitivity and fortifying tooth enamel, and dental sealants will surely protect these rear molars from tooth decay.

A New School Year and Smile

The more at ease your child becomes with their braces, the easier it will be to integrate with their peers. Should they feel self-conscious, observing other students with braces can bolster their confidence and sense of belonging.