Dr. K. Sarath Babu

So you've decided to straighten your teeth and get a great smile that too naturally but the road to a brilliant smile comes with a guide map and here are some of the key stops.

1. Keep them clean

While braces are a great tool that work on natural teeth with no side effects, caring for braces is extremely essential in order to ensure that you don't end up with any post orthodontic dental work.

Braces be it metal or ceramic tend to accumulate food and in turn cause cavities or stains. A lot of people suffer from post braces unnecessary treatments only because they couldn't keep them clean.

2. Know what foods to avoid

Wherever you are in your braces journey remember when you started you were warned about a bunch of things you have to stop eating and drinking. That memory maybe fading away but the truth is the dietary restrictions need to be followed atleast to a certain extent if you want the braces off on schedule.

Foods like pizzas, sticky candies or biting into anything from your front teeth is a strict no as it'll cause the front braces to come off and besides interrupting the treatment you may also end up hurting yourself.

Sodas should be avoided as they cause the braces glue to dissolve and they come off your teeth earlier than we would want.

3. Bracket breaks

The system of braces is basically individual brackets that are placed on your teeth to move them and a wire that engages all these brackets together.

A common occurrence with braces is the brackets come off or break if you're not careful. When this happens it's like a derailing a machine everything comes to a standstill and its very important to get this fixed at the earliest for the treatment to continue efficiently.

Bracket breakage can be prevented by maintaining dietary precautions, efficient brushing and avoiding trauma to the face.

4. Be on the lookout for pain or blisters

Although less common now there's an occasional chance of slight pain or ulceration after braces are placed in the mouth for the first time. Our body is getting used to a large foreign object and it may react by rejecting the areas that hurt and forming an ulcer which may last a few days and settle.

The pain sensation of tightness and tooth movement can be eased with a mild anti inflammatory or pain killer on the first appointment if need be.

5. Don't miss appointments

Missing your regular dental appointment is bad enough but your orthodontic (braces) appointment is the most important day of the month for you. Skipping or missing this appointment disrupts the schedule of tooth movement and you may delay an already prolonged treatment procedure.

So if you want that brilliant smile be as soon as possible follow the steps above and you will breeze through your orthodontics treatment without a snag!

Toothache is a painful dental condition that affects many people worldwide. At times the excruciating pain can drive a normal person insane. Cavity and tooth decay contribute to toothache in a big way. However, toothache can also be an indication of some serious dental ailments that needs immediate attention. The following factors/reasons can equally contribute to toothache (mild or severe).

1. Tooth decay: Tooth decay and cavities are synonymous to unhealthy teeth and toothache. Cavities can also give rise to awkward complications like bad breath. Thus, proper dental care and hygiene is of topmost priority. It is highly recommended to brush the teeth three times daily.
2. Accidental falls: Accidents incurred during sports or games often go unnoticed and untreated. This can invite unwanted complications like broken teeth, infections or inflammations resulting in toothache.
3. Unhealthy gums: Bleeding, painful and swollen gums and many other gum ailments can severely affect the teeth. At an advanced stage, this can lead to unbearable toothache.
4. Bruxism: Many people knowingly or unknowingly indulge in Bruxism or tooth grinding. Bruxism can have serious dental implications. It exerts tremendous pressure on the teeth and the supporting tissues. Eventually the jaw muscles also get affected, with toothache being the inevitable consequence.
5. Decaying enamel: Healthy enamel implies healthy teeth. Factors like excessive intake of sweets, drinks and chocolates play a significant role in enamel decay.  This can have a detrimental effect on the teeth resulting in toothache.
6. Abscess, a serious dental ailment:  Abscess is the manifestation of dental infections, whereby pus formation takes place between the gum and a tooth. Pus formation can also take place at the base of a tooth resulting in toothache.
7. Cracked tooth syndrome: A fractured tooth often acts as a catalyst, leading to toothache. The crack on the tooth is so small that even an x-ray fails to reveal it. Factors like bruxism, tooth decay, to name a few; contribute to the Cracked Tooth Syndrome.
8. The wisdom mystery: Lucky are those whose wisdom teeth erupt completely, at a single go. Impacted wisdom teeth can give a person sleepless nights. Misaligned teeth are no better.
9. Toothache and periodontal complications: It is a serious condition leading to shooting pain and inflammation. The inflammation and pain affects the root of the tooth immensely. It usually results from infections in plaque formations.
10. Sinus infections: In many cases, it has been found that sinus infection can lead to toothache. Positioned close to the upper back teeth, the sinuses give rise to what is known as a dull ache.

Toothache can be an amalgamation of many factors. Thus, it is very important to go for periodical dental & full body check ups.