You can enjoy a lifelong smile that is strong, healthy and attractive by receiving custom orthodontic treatment to enhance your tooth alignment and stabilize your bite. To help you enjoy effective orthodontic care, we offer tips on which foods to avoid and how to clean braces:

— As you may know, certain foods can damage the brackets, bands and archwires of your braces. You will need to avoid snacks such as bubblegum, caramel, ice, nuts and popcorn, or any food that is crunchy, hard, sticky or chewy.

— Choosing softer foods can protect your braces during mealtime, and eating foods that are easy to clean off your teeth to reduce your risk of developing tooth decay while you are undergoing treatment.

— Reducing your intake of sugary treats while wearing braces is important to caring for your teeth. If you do want to eat sugar, you can reduce its effects with daily dental habits such as cleaning your teeth with brushing and flossing, especially around the brackets and wires and where the gums meet the teeth, as these areas accumulate plaque.

— If you are involved in a sport, it’s important to wear a sports mouth guard in order to protect your braces and mouth from a hard blow to the face or accidental fall, which can lacerate the soft tissues and break the orthodontic appliance.

You are welcome to contact Shannon Orthodontics at 863-353-6867 today to learn more about life with braces in Davenport, Florida, and need to schedule a consultation with our orthodontist, Dr. Chris Shannon.