8 Essential Tips for Preparing Your Child For Dental Braces

8 Essential Tips for Preparing Your Child For Dental Braces

Does your child need braces? Tons of factors lead to your children needing braces at a young age. Tooth overcrowding, having crooked teeth, and malocclusion, which 90% of school-aged children suffer from, are all severe enough to warrant dental intervention. The decision-making process is simple for you, but dealing with your child won’t be as easy.

Convincing children they need dental braces is a monumental task because of popular media. It’s put a stigma surrounding dentists, making children more fearful of them than they should be.

However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to bring your children to the dentist’s office. All you need to do is to prepare them for what’s coming. Read what we’ve prepared below to know what you can do to prepare a child for braces.

1. Canvass Different Options with Them

Browsing through different options for braces with them is a great way to start. Doing so makes them feel included in the decision. It also helps them choose whatever option they’re more comfortable wearing.

What’s great is that tons of options are on the market nowadays. If your children don’t mind, traditional braces work well with most patients. They’re reliable and are cost-effective, too.

If they don’t like the idea of having noticeable braces, you can opt for lingual braces. Dentists place these behind the teeth, hiding them from the public eye. There are also ceramic braces available, which are clear alternatives to traditional metal braces.

If your children are unsure, take them with you to the orthodontist’s office. Talking directly to the dentist can help them with their options for orthodontics Edinburgh and can even advise them on what’s best.

2. Tell Them What to Expect in the Office

Even after choosing their own braces options, it’s normal for children to still feel nervous about getting braces. Helping them through this is as easy as telling them what to expect.

A good way to start is by telling them how long the procedure can take. Tell them how many times they’ll have to visit the dentist throughout their term, too. Initially placing braces can take 1-2 hours, but prior visits are essential to prepare the teeth for fitting.

Let them know that the procedure isn’t as bad as they think, too. There’s no pain in fitting the brackets and when securing the wire on them. Once that’s done, all that’s left is to have them adjusted regularly.

3. Have Them Open Up to You

Even after all the reassurances, children will still have some worries in their minds. These prevent them from being comfortable with the procedure, causing arguments later on. What you can do to avoid this is by talking to them.

Have them open up to you about what worries them when getting braces. Often, they’ll tell you it’s because of the ridicule that comes with wearing braces for teeth.

Telling them to ignore what others say will never work, so it’s better to tell them that every other child needs braces, anyway. Getting theirs now means they can get them removed sooner. 

4. Prepare Them for Dietary Changes

With most of their worries taken care of, it’s time to address the changes they’ll face. Changes to their diets will be the most challenging one, as braces will make it hard to bite down on most foods. The best way to prepare for this is by stocking up on soft foods.

Stock up on soft fruits, oatmeal, and eggs to ensure your children still receive the nutrients they need. If you want to add more protein to their diet, shredded chicken or ground meat works well.

Tooth sensitivity will subside within a week. Eating other foods will be possible again before the next adjustment. However, remember that there are still foods to avoid while your child wears braces.

5. Buy Dental Products Ahead of Time

Another way you can help your child prepare for braces is by stocking up on dental products. Tons of factors can make wearing braces uncomfortable. Sometimes, canker sores even form because of the tissue irritation taking place.

Buying items like dental wax does a lot to help. Applying these on brackets prevents it from rubbing on the cheeks or lips. It stops the irritation and helps children avoid having lesions form on their mouths.

Give your kids a personal tube of orthodontic wax, too. They can apply wax at their convenience whenever irritations arise this way.

6. Remind Them of the End Results

Some children can get cold feet and throw tantrums as you take them to the orthodontist’s office. When this happens to you, calm them down and remind them what they get from wearing braces.

Having near-perfect dental health can boost their self-esteem. Straight teeth and a great smile help them make a better impression on potential friends, too.

Tell them how having their teeth straightened also helps avoid further issues. Overcrowding of teeth can weaken the gums and cause teeth to fall out. Dealing with that would be worse than having a temporary fix on the mouth.

7. Make the Day Special

Make the day of the procedure special for your children. Prepare their favorite meals and help them clean up afterward. Treat them to something they want to do, too, after getting their braces.

On the way to the dentist, play their favorite music. Doing so calms them down, reducing their stress levels before the procedure.

8. Teach Them How Cleaning Will Go

The last hurdle to prepare your children for when getting braces is cleaning. Brushing is uncomfortable during the first few days of having braces. It doesn’t change after the sensitivity subsides, too.

There are new elements to consider that can make brushing difficult. In preparation, teach them the optimal way of brushing their teeth. Teach them how to clean between the wires and how important it is to get rid of food particles stuck in brackets.

Make it easier for them by buying specific brushes. Interdental brushes can go between the teeth and wires for easy cleaning. Get them a toothbrush with soft bristles to avoid breaking brackets, too.

Prepare for Dental Braces Today

Calming children down for dental braces if you know what to do. Learn how to prepare your children for the dentist and help them have beautiful smiles today!

Do you want to learn more tips to help you improve your children’s health? Check out more of our guides to learn all you can today!

Guest Article. Contains a sponsored link.