Families are a huge part of our practice at Wiesemann Orthodontics, and we feel so lucky to get to work with kids to give them new smiles. Parents often ask us how to foster good dental habits in kids with braces, which can take some practice. Let’s take a closer look at this question.
Anticipating Obstacles
Having braces comes with a learning curve for all of our patients, but particularly for children. Many kids have difficulty maintaining dental hygiene, even without braces. Dr. Wiesemann is here to help parents know what hygienic challenges to anticipate for kids with braces:
- Patience and Hard Work: Maintaining clean teeth with braces requires extra time and diligence, which kids don’t always adapt to easily. Establishing a cleaning routine with braces and sticking with it consistently throughout their treatment is a universal challenge for children.
- Hard-to-Reach Areas: Cleaning around brackets, wires, and between teeth demands careful attention and precision. This can be especially tough when using a regular toothbrush, making it easy for kids to feel discouraged if they struggle initially. Overcoming this challenge is a key part of building good hygiene practices with braces.
- Food Stuck in Braces: Components of braces like wires and brackets attached to teeth can create lots of spaces for food to hide. Without proper cleaning, plaque will build up, and bacteria can develop.
- Bad Breath: Smelly breath can be a consequence of remaining food particles in the mouth, which is another reason it’s so important for kids to clean carefully. This can have a negative impact on them in social settings.
- Sugary/Sticky/Crunchy Snacks: You probably already know that sugar is bad for teeth. The resulting bacteria can cause cavities and decay. This becomes even more of an issue when braces are present since they’re harder to clean. Sticky and hard foods can directly damage braces, too.
- Gum Irritation: The components of braces can cause irritation to gum tissue, as can plaque buildup. Kids might skip over painful areas in their mouths, which only makes the situation worse.
Overcoming Obstacles
This can all feel like an uphill battle at first for both you and your child. But be encouraged that kids successfully complete braces treatment with Dr. Wiesemann all the time! Our team has compiled some helpful advice for you:
- Establish a Routine: Keeping a consistent schedule for your kids’ dental hygiene can be challenging, but it’s important to stick with it. Aim for brushing after breakfast and dinner, flossing once daily, and rinsing afterward—and make these activities a regular part of your child’s day. Using a brushing timer can also help ensure they’re brushing properly each time.
- Make It Fun: There are plenty of tools at your disposal to make dental hygiene less of a chore: Mobile applications, flavored toothpaste, colorful toothbrushes, and more. Ask us during your visit if you need additional ideas!
- Use Orthodontic Tools: Take advantage of specialized tools like interdental brushes, floss threaders, or water threaders. These are designed to help your child navigate their braces better during cleaning time.
- Celebrate Small Victories: Praise and small rewards like stickers are great forms of positive reinforcement when your child sticks to their schedule. This can make a huge impact.
- Embrace Education: Braces can be a long journey, depending on each individual case. It’s important to remind your children of the end goal and how important cleaning is to a successful outcome. By keeping their teeth clean, their new smile will look the best it possibly can.
- A Family Affair: If your kids have friends or family members with braces, encourage them to share their experiences and advice. Knowing others are going through the same challenges can help boost a child’s confidence.
- Be a Good Influence: Children are more likely to adopt good dental habits when they see you practicing them. Try brushing together on some days to set a positive example for them.
- Pack a Cleaning Kit for School: Dr. Wiesemann recommends a cleaning kit for every patient with braces, regardless of age. Cleaning your teeth after meals is extremely important, and having a small toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, and floss in a kit makes this task manageable even on busy days.
A Sure Success
At Wiesemann Orthodontics, we care deeply for the communities that we serve in Kentucky. We’re fortunate to have received so much positive feedback from our patients over the years, and we guarantee your child will also have an exceptional experience under our care. Come see us in your nearest office in Bowling Green, Russellville, Portland, South Warren, or White House.