6 Ways You Can Help Your Child Get Ready for Braces
Guest Post By Sharon William
Will it hurt? Will my friends laugh at me? Can I still eat my favorite snacks? These are some questions your kids might ask when they are about to get braces. Getting braces is a huge step for them and you need to be by their side throughout the process. If you help your child get ready for braces, they will be calm and confident throughout the orthodontic treatment.
6 Ways to Help Your Kid Be Prepared for Braces
- Explain Why Crooked Teeth Must Be Treated
Kids might argue that they wouldn’t mind having crooked teeth just to stay away from braces. If they resist the idea of braces, explain to them how crooked teeth can affect their health. Tell them that crooked teeth can affect their ability to chew, cause digestion problems and lead to speech difficulties. It can also lead to periodontal diseases like tooth decay and gum diseases.
- Make Dental Hygiene a Habit
Before the child even gets braces, make dental hygiene a part of their daily routine. This will make the transition to braces easier. Your kid must brush and floss twice a day for 2 minutes. Tell them to rinse their mouth after every meal to wash away the food debris stuck between the braces and the teeth.
- Help Them Understand Dietary Instructions
Your kid will have to eat only braces-friendly foods. Let them know beforehand what foods they need to stay away from till their braces come off. Keep acidic and sugary foods away. Stock up on soft foods like rice, pasta, yogurt, mashed potatoes, and soups. Eat the same food with them so they don’t feel left out.
- Help with Pain Management
The light pressure that the braces put on the teeth will cause the kid mild discomfort for the first few days. Let them know that there will be some pain but it won’t last long. Help them learn how to deal with pain. You can give them painkillers or orthodontic wax to alleviate irritation from pointy brackets.
- Show Them the Difference the Braces will Make
Your advice and emotional support would matter a lot to your kid. Show them before and after photos of kids who previously got braces. Seeing the difference will motivate them to get braces themselves.
Introduce them to other kids with braces. If they see other kids with braces live normally, your child will know they can do it too.
- Help the Child Get Familiar with the Orthodontist
Before you take the kid to an orthodontist, explain to them what exactly he does. Tell your kid how the orthodontist can fix their crooked teeth and give them a great smile. Let them know that their first appointment may consist of oral examination, x-rays and photos.
Take the kid to meet the orthodontist before the actual appointment so that they get comfortable with the orthodontist. This way the child won’t be nervous on the main day of the orthodontic treatment.
As a parent, you have to be supportive throughout the treatment. By giving the braces treatment to your kid, you would help them have a better lifestyle.
Author Bio: Sharon William’s day job is to handle digital marketing for Koch Orthodontics in Loganville, GA. With a flair for creating compelling content that clears the clutter and connects with the audience in an instant, she writes about dental topics to educate and help her readers. She truly believes that a genuine smile can win a million hearts and talks to her readers about improving their smiles and overall dental health, as well as enhancing their overall lifestyle. In her free time, she likes to organize small meets in her neighborhood where she brings people together to discuss various topics that she writes about.
