4 of the 5 people in our house have had braces. The last one still has a couple of years but those railroad tracks are coming for her too!
Wondering what you should have on hand for your orthodontic adventure?
Pain Reliever
Give your child a dose of pain reliever on your way out of the orthodontist’s office. Don’t wait until they are feeling the pain of their teeth moving, let the pain reliever kick in just before that happens.
A Smoothie Punch Card
Chewing can be painful {and awkward} especially the first few days. Soft foods are a must!
Protein-packed breakfast shakes are a great addition to a brown bag lunch after an adjustment. That way they can still get protein and calories to help them power through the day, even if they can’t chew that PB&J you packed.
Orthodontic Wax
Your orthodontist will probably send you home with some wax, but your child will likely need more. Canker sores are an annoying sidekick to braces.
Mini Brushes {Interdental Cleaners}
These little brushes make cleaning in between the brackets so much easier {especially when they are away from home}.
A Water Pick
A must! Especially if your child is not the most meticulous brusher. {Check these out: For Younger Kids, For Bigger Kids}
Something to Swish
At the first sign of irritation on your kiddo’s lips—you know, when that first tiny canker sore starts to bloom—have your child swish their mouth with warm salt water after they have brushed for the night. This will help stop a canker sore from becoming huge and painful. Do this ever night until the canker sore has healed.
Mouthwash with hydrogen peroxide can also help when things get bad.
Gum
When I had braces chewing gum after an adjustment seemed to help settle my teeth and work out some of the aches and pains. My son just got his braces on last week and he has been so apprehensive about chewing. I finally tossed him a pack of gum and told him to power through it and it made a huge difference.
Locker Mirror
This was my daughter’s idea. She wants a quick and easy way to check if she’s got anything in her teeth. Middle school is hard enough without food jammed in between your brackets. She feels better about having a little mirror stashed in her locker for quick checks!
The Tears Of All Of Your Ancestors
Your child will likely think they are the only one who has had to endure such pain and torture. No one could possibly understand their pain. It’s worse for them. It has to be! {This moaning and wailing my also be related to their tween/teen drama status}
Another sidekick to new braces is self pity. I get it. I had braces as an adult and I felt like a one of those dogs with cone on it’s head the first time I went out in public. Kind of embarrassed when it goes outside to see it’s other dog friends. But it gets better!
I’ve had to remind each of my kids of ALL of the people who have had braces and lived to tell the tale. Everything is going to be OK!
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