Orthodontic Emergencies: Protecting Your Smile

Orthodontic emergencies can happen at any time, no matter how prepared you may be. An orthodontic emergency can be anything from a broken appliance to an unexpected injury to the mouth. Often, these emergencies can happen after eating food that’s too hard for your appliances, during a sports injury or other impact.

Thankfully, you can prevent most orthodontic emergencies from even occurring. We’ve compiled some tips to help you protect your teeth and your braces while you’re in treatment.

Choose Softer Foods

If you love chewy, crunchy, sticky, and hard foods, you may need to reassess your meals while you’re in braces. If you bite too hard into the wrong type of food, you risk damaging your appliances and even your teeth and gums. We recommend eating soft foods and taking smaller bites. Instead of a whole apple, cut it into small slices first. Or replace thick, doughy sourdough breads for softer wheat varieties. If you do happen to break a bracket or your wires, call our office immediately to get them fixed.

Stay on Top of Oral Hygiene

When you’re in braces, food can become trapped under your appliances, making it harder to keep your teeth clean. Left untreated, you are at an increased risk for getting cavities and gum disease. In severe cases, it may cause longer treatment time and costs if we need to remove your appliances to fix dental problems. Be sure to brush and floss after every meal to remove food particles in your mouth. If you’re unable to brush right away, rinse your mouth with water and brush at your earliest convenience.

Ask for a Mouthguard

If you’re active in sports, a mouthguard can protect your teeth and appliances from injury and breakage. Without a mouthguard, you risk painful injuries, including concussions. Plus, broken appliances may cost additional fees to replace. The best course of action is to wear a mouthguard when you play sports, every time! Let us know at your next appointment, and we can help you choose the right one for your needs.

Most of all, remember to contact our office if you have an emergency. We can find a way to fit you into our schedule and fix any appliances issues as soon as possible.