While it may feel like there are more rules to follow while wearing braces than there are days of the year, it’s important to abide by your orthodontist’s instructions. In case you needed a refresher, here are 4 things you shouldn’t do while wearing braces.
1. Chew on ice.
It’s not good to chew on ice even without braces, but when you add in metal and wire in your mouth, it’s especially bad. As you bite down, it can easily break your brackets or bend the wires — ouch!
2. Chew gum.
You shouldn’t chew on *sugarless* gum until after your orthodontic treatment. Anything that can stick on your teeth means it will also stick to your braces. And as you chew, in can put stress and strain on your brackets and wires, causing them to weaken and move out of alignment.
3. Forget to floss.
Forgetting to floss, or simply not flossing in general, can cause serious problems once your braces come off. If food particles get stuck between your teeth and stay there, plaque can build up and eat away at your enamel.
4. Forget to take your bands out while eating.
If you need rubber bands during your orthodontic treatments, it’s important to remember to take them out before you eat. Not only can they get extremely dirty as you eat, they are also more likely to snap and break.