Dental issues can spring up at any time, day or night, wherever you are. Finding yourself in the middle of an emergency without any idea of what to do can be potentially dangerous or at least painfully long.
Especially now, with COVID 19, there are chances that you might not be able to visit your orthodontist as often as you’d like. It is alright if this is nerve-wracking, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t tips to help you deal with orthodontic issues through the safety of your home.
Have Tools at Hand
If you are someone with braces or have gotten some dental procedure done that requires regular care, having these tools with you should be a necessity.
Toothpicks
Q-tips orthodontic relief wax
Interproximal brush
Topical anesthetic
Salt
Over the counter pain medication (Advil, Ibuprofen, etc.)
Dental floss
Mouth Sores
Wearing braces means you’re going to experience some sort of discomfort. Ideally, braces do not hurt but only have a slight discomfort that can easily be dealt with. This can include sores in your mouth.
You can treat sores by using dental wax or a topical anesthetic. These allow you to have an easier time adjusting to the braces and wait for the sore skin to heal itself.
O-Ring Issues
An O-ring is a tiny rubber band to hold the orthodontic wire in the bracket or the brace. As someone who wears braces, you might lose the O-ring, but this does not mean you have to panic. Use a sterilized tweezer to put a new one back in place. You can do the same if your O-ring comes off.
If the wire isn’t loose but sticks out into the lip, bend the wire back down with the help of a Q-tip.
Loose Braces or Bands
If your braces or bands come loose, try to figure out what caused them to get loose and what end you need to focus on. If the wire is loose from the back of your mouth, slide the bracket off the wire and carefully cut the excess wire with a sterilized nail clipper.
If the loose wire isn’t from the back of the mouth, use your sterilized tweezers to move it back in position. You can use dental wax to temporarily hold the bracket in place until you get an appointment with your orthodontist.
Contact Goldsberry Orthodontics for high-quality, state-of-the-art orthodontic care; we are one call away to answer any of your queries!
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