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What to Pack in Your Braces Care Kit

Live Life Smiling

braces-kit art
  • Holmes and Palmer Orthodontics
  • February 17, 2022

 

HAVING BRACES CAN affect your daily life in a lot of small and unexpected ways. The best way to prepare for them and minimize any inconveniences that can result is to keep a braces care kit handy anywhere you go. There are several items that should be in any braces care kit.

1. Water Bottle

The simplest way to fight back against oral health problems like cavities (which would set back your treatment timeline) is to keep a water bottle on you at all times. Water helps rinse away food debris and increase your saliva flow, and saliva is the first line of defense against harmful bacteria and enamel-eroding acids.

2. Toothbrush and Toothpaste

Anyone with metal braces should be brushing after each meal and snack to keep food debris from lingering and attracting harmful oral bacteria. Not doing so can lead to gum disease or other oral health issues. A great way to make this easy is to carry a travel toothbrush and toothpaste tube. Try to dry off the toothbrush as much as possible after using it and don’t store it in an airtight container, though, because it will get smelly and moldy if it can’t dry out!

3. Flossers for Braces-Wearers

Brushing isn’t always enough to get every piece of stuck food, and regular floss can be tricky to use with braces. Special floss picks made for navigating around braces can really help get around the brackets and wires to floss quickly and easily.

4. A Small Mirror

Brushing after every meal and snack will sometimes mean not brushing in a bathroom. If there’s not a mirror to check for leftover food debris stuck in your braces, carrying one in your kit will ensure that you can check your work after brushing. Selfie mode on your phone also works!

5. Orthodontic Wax

Most braces-wearers will experience a poking wire or another part of the appliance rubbing uncomfortably against the inside of their cheeks at some point during treatment, and having some orthodontic wax on hand to cover anything jabbing at you can be a major relief.

6. Extra Elastics

If your treatment includes elastics to help correct a bad bite, it’s essential to follow the orthodontist’s instructions on how long to wear them during the day and how many to wear. Just in case you lose an elastic or one breaks, it’s a good idea to keep some spares handy. However, resist the temptation to wear extra elastics! “More is better” is not true in orthodontic treatment and will probably create new problems that will take longer to fix on top of the original ones.

7. Painkillers

Particularly for the days right after an adjustment, your mouth will sometimes be sore. Keeping some over-the-counter pain medication in your kit will help until your teeth get used to the new position.

Show off Your Braces Care Kit!

The next time we see you, we’d love to check out your braces care kit. You and your orthodontist are a team working towards Braces Off Day when you have the properly aligned smile you’ve been waiting for, and a kit like this is a great way to ensure that you arrive at Braces Off Day on schedule and in excellent dental health!

We love our patients’ smiles!

Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

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Patient reviews

EVERY SMILE TELLS A SPECIAL STORY

We are thankful for the opportunity to serve our community with excellent care and take pride in our mission of having a patient-centered philosophy. Check out what our patients are saying about us!

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Jane E.
It isn't always easy to find providers that are especially patient and kind to patients with special needs. This group ALWAYS go out of their way to make us feel welcome and comfortable. The staff is wonderful! We are extremely blessed to have the orthodontic care we need from this business.
Jane E.
It isn't always easy to find providers that are especially patient and kind to patients with special needs. This group ALWAYS go out of their way to make us feel welcome and comfortable. The staff is wonderful! We are extremely blessed to have the orthodontic care we need from this business.
Legacy S.
Today at Drs Holmes and Palmer my Granddaughter ,Legacy Spurlock , had her braces put on.
I am so happy we Chose them. Not only was the Young lady, putting the braces on very nice That made Legacyy feel very comfortable and answered every question that she asked, and she asked a lot.
We are home now. She doesn’t need anything for pain, She is very proud of her Yes braces and her experience she had.
Thank you to every one that made her experience. One she will always remember.
Legacy S.
Today at Drs Holmes and Palmer my Granddaughter ,Legacy Spurlock , had her braces put on.
I am so happy we Chose them. Not only was the Young lady, putting the braces on very nice That made Legacyy feel very comfortable and answered every question that she asked, and she asked a lot.
We are home now. She doesn’t need anything for pain, She is very proud of her Yes braces and her experience she had.
Thank you to every one that made her experience. One she will always remember.
Staci A.
Very friendly and experienced. Awesome with kids! My son, Evan is 9 and was a little nervous for his first orthodontist consult appointment. They worked well showing and explaining everything they were getting ready to do. Even let him “help” some!! He has a follow up in 6 months to see if it’s time for his braces then. He’s not as worried about his next appointment now. Highly recommend!! Thank you!
Staci A.
Very friendly and experienced. Awesome with kids! My son, Evan is 9 and was a little nervous for his first orthodontist consult appointment. They worked well showing and explaining everything they were getting ready to do. Even let him “help” some!! He has a follow up in 6 months to see if it’s time for his braces then. He’s not as worried about his next appointment now. Highly recommend!! Thank you!
Jessie P.
They are very nice and friendly and such wonderful place would definitely recommend.
Jessie P.
They are very nice and friendly and such wonderful place would definitely recommend.
Amanda “ManDee” T.
This Orthodontist and the employees are amazing. They're very patient and kind with the young patients... I highly recommend!!!!
Amanda “ManDee” T.
This Orthodontist and the employees are amazing. They're very patient and kind with the young patients... I highly recommend!!!!
kristen W.
This is our first experience with orthodontics and we are very pleased with the service and friendliness of staff! They are so helpful and welcoming! Definitely recommend to my friends and family!
kristen W.
This is our first experience with orthodontics and we are very pleased with the service and friendliness of staff! They are so helpful and welcoming! Definitely recommend to my friends and family!
Andrea H.
Great customer service as always! The ladies at the front desk are always welcoming and very friendly. We appreciate the promptness of getting our daughter in for an emergency visit!
Andrea H.
Great customer service as always! The ladies at the front desk are always welcoming and very friendly. We appreciate the promptness of getting our daughter in for an emergency visit!
Emily B.
They are awesome with my girl and offer brace bucks! Great reinforcement and amazing people! 😊
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