Dr. Keerthi

Getting braces is the best thing you can do for your teeth. Yes, the process is painful. And maintenance of braces can get too much, but it is not undoable!

When you have braces on teeth, those teeth need extra attention to protect them from decay, staining and gum disease. You should also take precautions to avoid damaging the braces. For example, activities to avoid include eating chewy or sticky sweets, eating hard or crunchy foods, biting your lip, breathing excessively through your mouth and pushing your tongue against your teeth,

So if you got braces for the first time, here are some helpful tips you can swear by. Read on.

1. Listen to your orthodontist: This is kind of obvious, but seriously, listen to what your orthodontists says. You may wonder if you really need to do this or that, but not paying attention to your doctor’s advice can actually prolong your treatment, and extend the time you need to keep your braces on.

2. Brush every time you eat: Although brushing twice a day is the standard oral care recommendation, when you wear braces, you should brush after every time you eat — even after that mid-afternoon vending machine snack or some late-night munchies. That's because food particles easily become trapped in the braces, and the longer those particles stay trapped, the greater risk you have of developing dental problems. Use a soft toothbrush with round bristles, or an electric toothbrush if you prefer.

3. Rubber Bands: If you have been asked to use rubber bands, it is always recommended to carry rubber bands with you all the time, so if one breaks it can be replaced promptly. Rubber bands wear down and lose their elasticity, so they should be replaced often, definitely after every meal. Wearing the rubber bands all the time will keep the treatment progressing at an optimum pace.

4. Use your back teeth to chew: Don’t bite into that burger with your front teeth like you are accustomed to doing. This actually gets the food to stick on to your braces. So eat food that you can cut into bite size pieces and chew easily with your back teeth.

5. Drink plenty of water: Skip that soda, which will only erode your teeth, and drink water after meals. This not only keeps you healthy, but with water, you can swish it around your mouth to rinse out any big chunks of food.

6. Stay away from crunchy food: Crunchy foods are dangerous, not only do they get stuck in your braces, they also can get quite painful to remove. Plus, crunchy foods can be bad news for the shiny braces you just got for yourself.

7. Speak up: If during an appointment you have any query, no matter how silly, ask your orthodontist. Your doctor is there to help and guide you, so don’t shy away from asking questions and discussing your problems. Or if some part of the brace is hurting mildly, get it checked at once. Air your troubles, that is what your doctor is here for.

After The Braces Are Off-

Whitening products, including whitening toothpaste and mouthwash, should not be used until after braces are removed. After braces come off, some discoloration of the teeth will likely be present, so this is a good time for a child to use whitening strips.

Dental problems can be very painful and take the smile off your face completely. Those who have experienced sensitivity would vouch for it. It just will not allow you to enjoy the hot coffee or a favourite sweet or a cold smoothie.  The pain that shoots down the tooth after any of these would leave the person shuddering.

The tooth has 3 layers, from the outside in these are the enamel, the dentin and the pulp.  The outermost enamel is mineralized and the hardest structure in the body. The next layer, dentin, has fine tubules and when the enamel is worn off exposing the dentin, sensitivity sets in. The enamel is thinner in some portions of the tooth like the neck and the roots, therefore sensitivity onset is quicker in these areas.

Some of the common reasons for sensitivity are listed below:

1. Tooth decay:  As caries progresses from enamel to dentin, sensitivity sets in, especially to hot and cold foods.
2. Wear and tear:  Excessive brushing of teeth can lead to wearing of teeth, especially near the neck areas, leading to loss of enamel and resulting in sensitivity.
3. Dental damage:  Chipped or broken tooth can lead to sensitivity.
4. Gingival disease: This leads to loss of gum cover over the tooth, leading to exposure of dentin and therefore sensitivity.
5. Bruxism: Clenching of teeth, common in people with high levels of stress, can lead to enamel wearing and subsequent sensitivity.
6. Dental treatment: Some dental procedures like scaling, crowns, root planing, and some fillings can cause transient sensitivity.
7. Highly acidic food items: Citrus fruits, tomatoes, tea, etc. can lead to tooth sensitivity.
8. Bleaching agents:  Most tooth whitening agents result in sensitive teeth.
9. Excessive use of mouthwash: The mouth rinses contain high amount of alcohol which can also lead to tooth sensitivity.

Management: As with all health conditions, the first step in management is to identify the problem.  Whether it is dental decay or recent dental treatment, food habits or tooth whitening agents, the cause needs to be identified and then treatment begun accordingly.

1. For lost enamel, be it decay or damage, the tooth again needs to be restored to its original form to cover the dentinal tubules and reduce sensitivity.
2. For habits, be it food related or bruxism, in addition to treating the tooth, the habit per se needs to be addressed to prevent recurrence.
3. For associated dental products like whitening agents or mouth rinses, talk to a dentist to switch to a less harmful product.
4. De-sensitizing pastes are also available that can be used on a regular basis to reduce the problem.

Tooth sensitivity is annoying but there are ways to manage it effectively.