Whether you’re heading out for a day with friends or running from classroom to volleyball practice, you don’t always have the luxury of taking care of your braces or aligners in the comfort of your home. But don’t stress! Here are some suggestions for handy items you can take with you to handle most of the dental situations that might come up.

Basic Care Kit

• Travel Toothbrush—the perfect size for quick cleanings after a meal on the go. You might want to bring a travel size tube of toothpaste as well.
• Dental Floss, Threader, and Dental Picks—you don’t want something stuck in your teeth or braces through three hours of play rehearsal.
• Water Bottle—if you don’t have time to brush, a good rinse will help keep teeth and appliances clean.
• Small Mirror—to make sure your smile is picture perfect after eating.
• Our office phone number—just in case. If something happens to your braces or aligners, or if you suffer a dental emergency, call our Woodbury or Cottage Grove office immediately.

For Braces

• Orthodontic Wax—if one of your brackets is irritating your mouth, you’ll be ready.
• Braces-Friendly Snacks—soft, healthy foods that will help keep your energy up while keeping your braces intact.

For Aligners or a Retainer

• Your case! If you need to take your aligners or retainer out, use your case to protect them and keep them from getting lost. You have better things to do after lunch than sifting through a garbage can full of used napkins. Much better things.

All of these items can fit easily in a case or bag in your glove compartment, locker, or backpack. Want more tips? Talk to Dr. Curtis Dunn and our team on your next visit, and let’s work together to make caring for your orthodontic appliances a quick and convenient addition to your busy schedule!

Most of our patients at Dunn Ortho will need to wear rubber bands at some point during their orthodontic treatment. The main reason our patients are instructed to wear rubber bands is to correct their bite. If your teeth do not fit together properly, Dr. Curtis Dunn will recommend that rubber bands be used. Dr. Curtis Dunn may also recommend using rubber bands to close or open spaces.

Rubber bands are a critical part of your treatment, and wearing them as Dr. Curtis Dunn and our team recommend will help move your teeth into the desired position. Dr. Curtis Dunn may ask you to wear your rubber bands full time, meaning that they should only be taken out when you brush and floss your teeth three times a day. Other times, you may be asked to only wear them part-time, like only during the day or only during sleep.

If you still have any questions about orthodontic rubber bands, we invite you to give us a call or ask us during your next adjustment appointment. Remember, wearing rubber bands as prescribed by Dr. Curtis Dunn is an important step during your treatment, and can reduce the time you have your braces. If you lose your rubber bands or run out, stop by our Woodbury or Cottage Grove office and pick up more!

Many people undergo orthodontic treatment during childhood, adolescence, and even into adulthood. Wearing orthodontic appliances like braces is sure to produce a beautiful smile. Though orthodontic treatments at Dunn Ortho are designed to accommodate your lifestyle, chances are you will need to make some dietary modifications to prevent damage to your braces and prolong orthodontic treatment.

The First Few Days with Braces

The first few days wearing braces may be the most restrictive. During this time, the adhesive is still curing, which means you will need to consume only soft foods. This probably will not be a problem, however, as your teeth may be tender or sensitive while adjusting to the appliances.

Orthodontic Dietary Restrictions

You can eat most foods normally the way you did without braces. However, some foods can damage orthodontic appliances or cause them to come loose. Examples of foods you will need to avoid include:

• Chewy foods like taffy, chewing gum, beef jerky, and bagels
• Hard foods like peanuts, ice chips, and hard candy
• Crunchy foods like chips, apples, and carrots

How to Continue to Eat the Foods You Love Most

Keep in mind that you may still be able to enjoy some of the foods you love by making certain modifications to the way you eat them. For example, steaming or roasting carrots makes them softer and easier to consume with braces. Similarly, you can remove corn from the cob, or cut up produce like apples and pears to avoid biting into them. Other tips include grinding nuts into your yogurt or dipping hard cookies into milk to soften them. If you must eat hard candies, simply suck on them instead of biting into them.

If you have any question whether a food is safe to eat during your treatment with Dunn Ortho, we encourage you to err on the side of caution. Of course, you can always contact our Woodbury or Cottage Grove office with any questions you have about your diet and the foods that should be avoided during treatment. By following our dietary instructions and protecting your orthodontic appliances from damage, you will be back to chewing gum in no time.

During this unprecedented time of social distancing and quarantine you may be wondering what do about your braces if you can’t see your orthodontist for regular appointments.  Depending on how each orthodontist decides to manage this and how long this period of lockdown lasts, different approaches may be appropriate.  However, it may be helpful to consider some of following until more normal appointments can be resumed.

Double down on your brushing and flossing routine.  One of the crucial things your orthodontist checks at your regular appointments is how well you are keeping your teeth clean.  Poor daily home care will lead to a build up of plaque (bacteria) which eventually will leave unsightly scars on the teeth called white spot lesions.  These scars are permanent and can require costly dental work to repair.  Inflamed and swollen gums will also occur which can slow your treatment down and eventually lead to gum disease and even tooth loss.

Follow your foods list carefully.  By far the most frequent cause of broken braces or wires is eating the wrong foods.  Most orthodontic appliances will not cause a serious problem if broken, however, a broken brace, wire, or spring can be annoying and sometimes painful.  Depending on how long before it can be repaired, there could be some loss of progress, delaying the time when your braces can come off.

Get yourself comfortable.  The most frequent cause of pain or discomfort is a poking wire.  This can be addressed many times by clipping it with a sturdy nail clipper.  You can also place wax over it.  A broken brace (called a bracket) can also be annoying if it moves around.  Placing wax over it will hold it in place better.  Many orthodontic websites have information on dealing with broken braces or try searching YouTube for helpful videos.

Wear your elastics as instructed.  Many patients wear elastics with their braces for correction of the bite.  In most cases, it will be OK to keep wearing the elastics as instructed.  However, the longer the period of time before a regular appointment can be made, the more likely that the elastics could cause some overcorrection.  Overcorrection if mild will not pose a problem, but consider wearing elastics just while sleeping or even discontinue them if you are overdue for your next check up.

Hopefully these tips will help keep you, your braces and your teeth safe until it’s time to see your orthodontist again!