Everyone knows that getting braces in Singapore is the only tried and true way of getting the perfectly straight teeth they dream of, but a couple of hurdles tend to put people off. These primarily revolve around not wanting to draw attention to their braces and the lifestyle changes they have to make once their treatment starts.
Fortunately, the first is now less of an issue as advancements in braces treatment have given rise to new options that offer a more discreet way of straightening teeth, such as Invisalign aligners. However, the latter is an absolute necessity, as getting braces requires effort to ensure the treatment is as effective as possible. While it can be challenging to adjust to life with braces at first, your new daily routine will hardly be any different. One of these changes involves the following habits the moment you have your braces on to ensure your treatment goes smoothly and complete it sooner than later.
1. Using your teeth to pull things open
Whether opening a bag of chips or other types of packaging, we have all resorted to clamping our teeth to open all sorts of things at least once if doing it by hand does not work or a pair of scissors is nowhere near. While this generally poses no issue, it is a different story when you have braces on. This is because you could force your teeth and cause the brackets of your braces to shift out of alignment. Whenever this happens, you will need to take a trip to your dentist to have them fixed and potentially prolong your treatment time. As such, the inconvenience of finding the right tool to open a package is far less than having to make an impromptu emergency visit to your dentist.
2. Nibbling on ice and other hard items besides food
One of the most common habits today is chewing on random objects like pens, fingernails, and even straws, which is a rather unacceptable practice. Many people do not even know they are chewing on something unless someone else points it out or they realize it themselves. Aside from random objects, chewing on ice is another tempting habit whenever they enjoy an iced drink.
Although chewing on ice and other miscellaneous items can damage anyone’s molars, those with braces need to be extra vigilant because all that unnecessary chewing can cause the brackets to shift, chip, or break; hence, try to keep yourself from chewing save for mealtimes.
3. Eating sticky foods
Sticky foods like chewing gum can seriously damage your braces as they are notorious for orthodontic mishaps like bending wires. In fact, chewing gum causes more of these issues with braces than any other food. As such, it is important to take note of the best foods to eat while wearing braces and steer clear of sticky foods for the time being until your braces finally come off.
Conclusion
Adjusting to life with braces does not have to be difficult, and although some of the habits above may seem difficult to break at first, you can certainly overcome them with the right mindset.
To start your journey towards having the perfect smile, drop by The Braces Practice at any time! We welcome you to our dental clinic at Holland Village, where we provide the best experience for all your orthodontic treatment needs, including affordable dental braces in Singapore, teeth cleaning, dental extractions, and more. For more information about our dental care services, contact us today.
