Back to School with Braces

Morita Orthodontics is proud to be your choice when you’re looking for an orthodontist in Aiea and Honolulu, HI. We realize that orthodontic treatment isn’t just the procedure of putting someone’s braces in – it’s also a process that requires a constant commitment of caring for your braces. Many of our patients are younger and they’ll soon be getting ready to go back to school – only this time, they’ll be accompanied by their new braces. For those students, we’d like to offer a couple of tips to make the transition into the school year much easier.

Bring a Braces-Friendly Lunch

When you wear braces, there are certain foods you’ll have to avoid. These foods include sticky foods and hard foods. While summer allows you to plan all your meals and avoid these foods, school lunches generally don’t give you that luxury. When your school is providing a meal that may not be suitable for someone wearing braces, we recommend packing your own lunch that’s filled with foods that are braces-friendly.

Take a Dental Kit with You

After you’ve eaten your braces-friendly lunch, it’s best to brush and clean your teeth. However, since you’re at school that may seemingly pose a problem. Not to worry though! All you have to do is take a dental kit with you and you can clean your teeth at school when you have a few free minutes. Make sure to pack a toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss in your dental kit.

Wax and Extra Rubber Bands/Elastics Are Helpful

Whether you keep them in your dental kit or elsewhere, these extra supplies are incredibly beneficial throughout the day. If your braces are starting to irritate parts of your mouth, apply some wax to the areas of the braces that are causing the soreness. Keeping extra rubber bands is also helpful if your current orthodontic treatment requires them; rubber bands need to be replaced after a period of time and sometimes they may accidentally break.

Drink Plenty of Water

Drinking lots of water is beneficial for someone wearing braces because of the number of health benefits they’ll bestow. Drinking water will help prevent cavities, keep your mouth clean, and get rid of bad breath. We recommend bringing a bottle of water or two with you to school.

Wear a Mouthguard During Sports

When you’re playing sports, wearing a mouthguard will greatly lessen the chance of receiving a dental injury. While there’s a relatively short list of school sports that require mouthguards, it’s important to wear a mouthguard during many other sports as well. The American Dental Association recommends athletes to wear mouthguards for a number of sports that include football, basketball, lacrosse, hockey, volleyball, and gymnastics.

Use a Retainer Case

If you’re wearing a retainer, you should use a retainer case as well. There’s been a large amount of students who’ve either lost their retainer or accidentally thrown it away at school. By bringing a retainer case, you’ll limit the possibility of accidentally losing or tossing your retainer. Remember, if your retainer isn’t in your mouth, make sure it’s in the case!

Contact Your Honolulu and Aiea Orthodontist Today!

If you would like to schedule an appointment with us, please don’t hesitate to fill out our online appointment request form or give us a call at one of our two convenient locations. You can reach us at (808) 486-5505 for our Aiea office or (808) 941-3355 for our Honolulu office. Feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing from you!