It’s Braces Time

For some children and teens, getting braces can be a daunting experience. They may have heard scary stories from their peers, or they might be the first of their friend group to get orthodontic care. Not only are they worried socially, but they often wonder if they will end up with problems, such as staining and tooth discoloration after braces are removed. 

As a parent, we often remember these anxieties and fears from our own childhood, and can usually help by assuring them that it will be alright in the end. But it may have been a while since we had our own braces, so how do we teach our children to avoid staining and discoloration?

What actually causes tooth discoloration with braces?

If your child isn’t brushing in a way that gets into all of those hard-to-reach places, plaque can build up around the brackets, establishing the perfect place for bacteria to grow and live on your child’s teeth. The acidic environment created by this plaque can cause demineralization of the enamel, affecting both the appearance and the feel of their teeth. This can cause brown, yellow, or even white spots on their smile, which is apparent once the braces are removed. 

Don’t worry! It’s preventable!

Preventing discoloration after braces is one of the key reasons your child needs to be sure they take that extra time to keep their mouth squeaky clean. They need to ensure they clean the plaque away before it hardens into tartar on the tooth, that way it is much easier to take care of. 

Post-Meal Maintenance

The first line of defense against those dreaded stains is regular maintenance. It is good to ensure your child is cleaning their teeth after every meal. Yes, every meal. They need to locate every piece of food that could be hiding behind those brackets and wires. Although this is tedious, their smile will thank them for all of their hard work!

For those snacks where they can’t rush off to brush, have your child drink some water. This can help wash away pesky food particles. This isn’t a replacement for actually brushing those teeth, but it can help buy a little extra time on those busy days. 

Use the Right Tools

There are many different tools made just for people with braces. It is important to help your child find the right ones for them, as it will help you streamline the process of caring for their teeth.

Interdental Brushes

Interdental brushes are thin tools with brushes coming out of all sides to get into all the hard-to-reach areas. 

Floss Threaders

Floss threaders are exactly what they sound like. They are devices that can be used to thread floss under the wires and between two teeth.

Water Flossers 

Water flossers are amazing devices that remove all the stubborn particles of food using a steady stream of water.

But what if they still end up with tooth discoloration after braces?

In the long run, stains happen. They can sneak onto our teeth through regular wear and tear, because of what we eat and drink, life choices, or even accidents. If your child ends up with a few stains after braces, reassure them that it will be okay. Just because there is staining, it doesn’t mean they are stuck with stains for the rest of their life. Staining after braces can sometimes fade. But if they don’t fade enough, professional teeth whitening is an option (yes, even for teens!) that could drastically reduce the stains, or even remove them entirely.

But how do I teach my child to care for their teeth?

Every child learns differently, but here are a few options to help teach your child how to properly care for their braces and teeth. 

If your teen or child is a visual learner, sometimes YouTube videos can help! By finding videos, they can either watch another person around their age explain how dental care works for them, or go the more technical route and learn by watching diagrams or models.

In the beginning, consider making a checklist of all the steps your child needs to do to care for their braces and teeth. You can put this on your child’s mirror. Get them involved in making it, whether they want to cover it in stickers or little drawings. This way, when they are ready to tackle their own oral hygiene, they’ll have a handy cheat sheet right in front of them.

If you need some more ideas on how to teach your child about caring for their teeth, we’ve got you covered! 

Ready for an appointment?

If you have any questions, or are needing to get your child in for orthodontic care, be sure to contact us. We offer orthodontic services in both the Hastings and Grand Island areas. An appointment is just a few clicks away!