Orthodontic treatment can often involve a long term treatment plan in order to slowly fix a major alignment, bite, jaw, or other issue. Often times, the equipment used is fragile which means that a patient will be required to change up certain habits in order to accommodate it. This is often seen with an orthodontic treatment such as braces. Braces are attached to the teeth by metal brackets, wires, and cement. Foods such as gum, hard candy, soda, etc. can all be detrimental and cause harm to the braces as well as the teeth while the braces are on. However, trying to stick with all of these dietary restrictions can be like sticking with a tough diet. It’s difficult at first, but here are a few tips on how to maintain a healthy diet during orthodontic treatment.
Just Don’t Have it in the House
Most of us do the majority of our eating and drinking at home. This means that if we don’t have the option available to us, the choice is made pretty easy to stay away from it. It also helps if family members involved try to stay away from the dietary restrictions in order to help support the patient (or those in the same household). This type of support ensures these items stay out of the house as well making it easier for a patient to stick with it.
Come Up With Alternatives
Patients often struggle with sticking to diet restrictions because it feels like they’re being deprived. It’s best if there are some alternatives to help a person feel like they’re not missing out as much. Some of these options can be softer foods. If they include high amounts of sugar, these are ok seldomly as long as the teeth are brushed and rinsed afterwards.
Know Which Foods are Fine and Not Fine
Being knowledgeable is probably one of the most important factors in maintaining a healthy diet during orthodontic treatment. The quickest way to feel like you’re struggling through is to be in the dark. There’s nothing worse than not knowing if a food is safe or not and questioning yourself. Being educated gives a person confidence throughout the term of their treatment and keeps them making the best choices possible for the dental health.
Ask for Support
Perhaps one of the best ways to ensure success at most tasks is to ask for help or accountability. Sometimes, in a moment, we can ignore the long term consequences and falter. However, having support and someone to remind you of why you’re maintaining a healthy diet helps you stay strong in those moments.
Overall, it’s worth the sacrifice and focus it takes to go through orthodontic treatment. The result is a beautiful smile that will boost confidence and make it all worth the effort.
