Early orthodontic treatment is a great way to improve your child’s s smile while reducing the risk of oral complications in the future. However, many children struggle to maintain their oral hygiene when they are wearing traditional braces. Continue reading to learn how you can help your child protect their oral health and wellness while undergoing orthodontic treatment .

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Encourage Brushing and Flossing
Brushing and flossing are essential when it comes to protecting one’s oral health, but children often struggle to maintain these habits when they have braces. A good way to encourage your child to brush their teeth as instructed is to explain how poor dental hygiene habits will impact their health, including increasing the risk of cavities, gum disease, and longer orthodontic treatment. You may also help your child by providing certain aids to make the process easier, such as a floss threader or interdental brush .

Provide Dental-Friendly Foods
Your child will need to avoid certain foods if they are wearing metal or ceramic braces. These include foods that are extremely sticky, sugary, or crunchy—as these all can cause damage to the brackets, archwires, or pull out the elastic ties. Instead, consider providing your child with more dental-friendly snacks, such as bite-sized cooked vegetables, slices of soft fruits, whole grains, and lean cuts of meat.

Stay On Top of Orthodontic Visits
One of the best ways to help your child maintain their oral hygiene while undergoing orthodontic treatment is to ensure that they stay on top of all their orthodontic visits. Keeping up with checkups and undergoing routine adjustment visits will not only ensure your child’s treatment is on schedule, but will also allow their orthodontist to identify problems or potential complications.

Is your child ready for braces? Get the treatment you and your family need by contacting Park Avenue orthodontist, Dr. David Seligman with Seligman Orthodontics at (646) 681-8516 today. Dr. Seligman is also a premier provider of Incognito Braces.