How to take care of your teeth after braces

Every year, tens of thousands of people in the UK get braces. There’s a good reason for this. Braces are the best and most effective way of getting straight teeth, which is the cornerstone of a beautiful smile.

There is lots of information on the internet about braces. However, we find that most of this information addresses the process of actually having braces and not what comes after that.

This is a shame, as one of the frequent questions we get is: what happens when the braces are finally taken off? This is a good question. In this post, we’ll discuss the issues you’ll need to think about after your braces are finally removed.

Retainers

Not everyone is aware of this, but after having braces, you’ll need to wear a retainer during the night for the rest of your life. If you don’t do this, then your teeth could slowly go back to their old positions, which would mean another round of braces to straighten your teeth again.

Wearing a retainer at night isn’t difficult. It might feel strange at first but that’s only because you won’t have gotten used to it yet. After a few days, we promise that you’ll be sleeping with it without any difficulties at all.

Looking after retainers is easy as well. All you need to do is brush them with your toothbrush and toothpaste every day. Some people like to keep their retainers in mouthwash too to keep them fresh.

Retainers don’t last forever, unfortunately. After a few months or years, it will wear down beyond use. At that point, your dentist can make you a new one.

Diet

When your braces come off, it means you’ll be able to go back to eating all the foods you couldn’t before. These are foods like popcorn, corn on the cob, nuts and hard-boiled sweets.

Take it easy on the sweets and sugar though – you don’t want to have gone through all that hard work just to get a cavity!

Flossing and brushing

Another thing you’ll notice when your braces come off is that flossing and brushing will be easy again. There will no longer be brackets and wires in the way of your floss and toothbrush. Keep up your dental hygiene routine and you’ll have strong and healthy teeth for years to come.

Whitening

Lots of people get their teeth whitened after having braces. This is a good choice as it can make your new smile look even more impressive.

If you’d like to get your teeth whitened after having braces, then keep in mind there are two options. The first is to whiten your teeth at home with an at-home whitening kit. However, we recommend the second option, which is to have your dentist whiten your teeth for you. Not only is it safer as you’ll be in the hands of a professional, but it’s also more effective too.

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