Being a Teen With Braces
First impressions are everything. And, when you have straighter and whiter teeth, you'll be considered smarter, more successful and get more dates. But, if your teen wants to reach this rosy future, they need to be willing to bare braces for a while in order to get there. If you have to experience life as a teen with braces, it's not always going to be easy. They may even feel alienated from their friends and get sick of taking care of their braces. However, as the kid's parents, you have an important role to play in helping your teenager like their new look. Check out our tips below!
Show Patience to Your Child
Many parents consider themselves to be patient. But, you need to use every ounce of your patience when your teen is getting braces. The braces will only be successful if your kid follows the advice of the orthodontist. You need to ensure that they commit to the treatment properly. This probably won't be achieved by shouting and punishing them when they don't behave themselves. You need to show sympathy and patience! You need to expect that your teen child may forget to follow the oral hygiene guidelines of the orthodontist. It's your responsibility to remind them!
Make Sure Your Teen Understands
Up to 16 percent of children say that they're scared of going to the dentist. Imagine how they're going to feel when they realize they have to sign up for orthodontal treatment. You need to educate your teen before you take them for treatment. This will help them to understand why it is important they get braces. Make sure you understand why braces are better for teens. Do your homework before you start to tell them what they need to know. You don't want to pass on false information yourself. You may even discover helpful tips for your kid. You should also encourage your teen kid to research braces and oral hygiene themselves.
Support Your Child as Much as Possible
As the parent of your child, it goes without saying that you want to support your child. Nevertheless, there are often ways to support the child when you're at home. You may want to change small things around your home. Don't tease your child by leaving chewy candy or popcorn around the house. When you're a teenager with braces you don't want to be constantly reminded that you can't enjoy the same food as the rest of the family.
Help Your Teen With a Healthy Diet
When you get braced fitted, you can't eat what everyone is eating. So, you need to make sure your teen is eating a healthy and balanced diet. Over 80 percent of children in the U.S. have a poor diet anyway. If your child's diet could improve, you could use the opportunity to eat healthier dishes at home. Do you ever catch your teen reaching for the cookie jar? You know that chewy food is going to get stuck in the braces. Make sure you stop them. But, you can also make sure you prepare delicious and healthy meals at home that everyone can eat.
Tell Your Child That Braces are Cool
You may remember when you were a child that braces weren't very cool anymore. And yet, you should remember that times have changed. You can show your kid that braces are no longer uncool. The days when kids shouted "metal mouth" and "nerds" at kids with braces are no longer. Braces simply aren't as ugly as they used to be. They're much smaller and better designed these days. You need to remind your kid that this is the case if they're nervous about getting braces.
Soothe the Pain With Coldness
When you have your braces fitted, your teen may experience some inflammation in their mouth. But, you can help soothe the discomfort with something cold. This could be anything from going to get ice-cream to celebrate or simply giving them a cold glass of water to ease the soreness. If your teen has had anything sugary, just remember to tell them to brush their teeth afterward.
Focus on the Positives of Getting Braces
If your teen is down about getting braces, you need to show them that things aren't so bad. When your teen discovers that they have to keep braces for over a year. That may appear like a long time when you're just a teenager. However, tell them that when they're an adult, a year feels like nothing. They'll start to understand that they need to think about the future. Only wearing braces for a year or two can allow them to have amazing teeth in adulthood. Mention Prince Harry or Miley Cyrus as examples of former brace wearers.
Help Them to Plan for Life With Braces
When you know what to expect, it's much easier to prepare yourself for your life with braces. This is an important way to help your kid deal with braces. You could take your kid shopping. There are going to be numerous things that they might need when they have braces. This could include everything from a better toothbrush and toothpaste, relief wax and pain killers. But, they may also need certain food stocked in the kitchen. Make sure they know how to prepare mash potatoes and smoothies themselves. This way they can make sure they're eating the right food for braces.
Helping Your Teen With Braces
Getting braces during your teenage years can be a big moment. You may be worried about how other people will treat you as a teen with braces. However, as the kid's parent, you can help them to adapt to life with braces. By showing them support and educating them about the importance of oral health, you can be a great parent. Do you want to learn more about whether you should get Invisalign or braces? You can discover everything you need to know here.