It’s that time of year again where school’s ready to be back in session. Most years, it’s just a return to the same old stuff that students have grown used to as they’ve grown older. However, if you happened to get braces over the summer, you may find that normal school days may get a bit more complicated. Not to worry though! As your providers of braces, Invisalign Teen, and Invisalign in Manhattan, Riverdale, and the Bronx, we at Goodman Orthodontics would like to give you some tips on how to get used to going to school with braces.
Pack a Braces-Friendly Lunch
When you’re wearing braces, there are several different types of foods to avoid because of the damage that they can potentially cause to your orthodontics. While you’ll be able to pick and choose what to eat and where to go to when you’re at home, cafeterias don’t always provide you that same luxury. That’s why we recommend that you pack your own lunch so that you can make sure that your lunch will be free of anything harmful. We suggest bringing braces-friendly foods such as pasta, yogurt, and cut-up fruits and vegetables.
Bring a Dental/Orthodontic Kit
For our patients with braces, we recommend regularly brushing after every meal. The reason for this frequency is because braces have many places where food can get trapped in and begin to cause tooth decay and other dental problems. While you may get used to a schedule during the summer that allows this, when you’re in school, you may think that you won’t be able to brush your teeth after eating lunch from now on. However, by bringing a dental kit to school with you, you’ll have all the supplies you need with you to make sure that your teeth are clean after lunch. Don’t forget to pack useful orthodontic supplies in the kit as well! We recommend bringing:
- A travel toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Floss
- Elastics or rubber bands
- Orthodontic wax
Wear a Mouthguard During Sports
If you have braces and you’re going to play sports, it becomes vital to wear a mouthguard. While you should always wear a mouthguard whenever you play sports, it’s even more important to do so when you have braces because of the damage that can be caused to the braces and also your mouth. This doesn’t just include the sports where it’s mandatory to wear mouthguards (such as football, hockey, and lacrosse) – we also recommend wearing them during any sport with the potential for contact, including baseball, basketball, and volleyball.
Contact Your Manhattan and Riverdale Braces Provider Today!
If you’re interested in Manhattan, Riverdale, and Bronx Invisalign Teen, Invisalign, or braces, you’ve come to the right place! Feel free to give us a call at (212) 688-4663 for our Manhattan office or (718) 543-4300 for our Riverdale office. If you have any questions or comments, we encourage you to contact us. We can’t wait to hear from you!