Back to School with Braces
While you may have gotten used to your braces while you’re at home, going back to school while wearing braces for the first time can unfortunately cause a few additional complications. Don’t worry though – we at Doleski & Wolford Orthodontics are here to help make sure that your transition back into the school year with braces will be a smooth one. As your local Invisalign and braces provider, we’d like to give you some tips on how to best get used to braces during the school day.
Pack a Braces-Friendly Lunch
Our first suggestion is to pack a braces-friendly lunch. When you’re wearing braces, there are several foods that can potentially damage or even break your braces, with these most notably being hard foods and sticky foods. By bringing your own lunch, you’ll be able to make sure that you’ll have an appetizing option that’s also safe for you to eat without harming your orthodontic appliances. We recommend taking braces-friendly foods like soft sandwiches, pasta, yogurt, and softer fruits.
Bring Your Own Dental Kit
Because braces have many crevices where food can get trapped and cause tooth decay over time, it’s important for you to clean your teeth after every meal. Since you’ll still be at school after lunch, bringing a dental kit with you to school will allow you to clean your teeth when you have a few minutes of free time. We recommend bringing a toothbrush, toothpaste, and some dental floss in your travel kit. Also, we suggest packing some orthodontic wax as well in case your braces are causing you any irritations.
Wear a Mouthguard During Sports
While it’s always important to wear a mouthguard when you play sports, it’s even more vital to do so when you have braces on your teeth. Mouthguards won’t only protect your teeth, but they’ll protect your braces and all the hard work you’ve put in toward attaining your straighter smile. While several school sports require the usage of mouthguards, such as football, lacrosse, and hockey, we recommend wearing a mouthguard while you play any sport with the potential for physical contact. This can include basketball, baseball, softball, and volleyball.
Visit Your Erie, PA Braces and Invisalign Provider!
If you’re looking for Invisalign or braces around Erie, you’ve come to the right place! Feel free to schedule an appointment with us by filling out our online appointment request form or by giving us a call at one of our three locations. Our Erie office phone number is (814) 835-3888, our Lawrence Park office phone number is (814) 898-0023, and our Corry office phone number is (814) 664-4434. We can’t wait to see you!