Kids who are returning to school for the first time after getting braces from their dentists may be overwhelmed by the challenges of caring for their teeth and anxious about the reactions of their peers. To help your child adjust to a new school year with braces, here are five tips to keep in mind.

Tips for Returning to School With Braces

1. Pack a Lunch

Crunchy and chewy foods may get lodged in the wires of your child’s braces. The same is true of hard, gummy, and sticky candies and snacks. If the school’s lunchroom staff isn’t serving meals that your child can safely eat, pack one yourself, focusing on soft foods. Rice, pasta, yogurts, soft cheeses, and steamed vegetables are foods kids with braces can consume with confidence.

2. Carry Water Everywhere

For kids with braces, water will wash away stubborn food particles. Soda isn’t a suitable substitute for water, not only because of its sugar content but also because soda stains teeth.

3. Keep a Mirror Handy

Mirrors let your kid check their braces throughout the day. Have them hang one in their locker or carry a compact in their backpack. Teens can also use smartphone cameras to inspect their teeth. 

4. Use a Mouthguard

Kids with braces should wear mouthguards when they play sports and take gym class. Any impact to the jaw may be serious but even more so when braces are involved. Buy orthodontic mouthguards designed to accommodate braces, ask your dentist to custom-fit a guard for your child.

5. Assemble a Care Kit

Have your child keep a care kit for their teeth in their backpack with a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, dental wax, and lip balm inside. Instruct them to brush and floss after lunch and apply lip balm and dental wax to their lips and gums if they have any irritation.

If you want to find a dentist who values your child’s progress with braces and oral health as much as you do, contact PdC Dentistry, S.C. in Prairie du Chien. They offer personalized treatment for each member of the family. When unexpected problems arise with a child’s braces, they provide emergency same-day appointments. To find out more about all the services they provide, call them at (608) 326-8458, or explore their website.