Good old braces! Also known as the literal definition of “beauty is pain,” braces are an ordeal some of us will come to know pretty well at least once in our lifetime. For most braces wearers, however, the struggle is already over and their braces days are now a thing of the high-school past, and a distant memory now remembered by a perfectly straight smile. For some of us, though, the struggle is still all too real and our “braces days” are still underway. Because college is tough enough on its own, here are a few important things to remember when it comes to improving your smile while taking on braces as a busy young adult.
1. WEAR YOUR RUBBER BANDS! If your orthodontist told you to wear them, take my advice and wear them! After you grab a meal at the caf or a coffee at Starbucks, don’t forget to pop them in before your next class. Rubber bands can help speed along the process if you wear them frequently, and if you wear them enough you will get them off sooner than if you didn’t! Once you start wearing them, you’ll start to get into the habit naturally, so start out strong and keep wearing them!
2. Try your best to follow the “rules!” Okay, we all cheat on these a little bit, and a lot of us are guilty of chewing a stick of gum even though we’ve been told time and time again not to. But taking a huge bite out of an unsliced apple or eating a pack of gummy worms could wreak havoc on your brackets and cause them to break! As the queen of broken brackets myself, I cannot tell you how much longer my treatment has been because of all the broken brackets I’ve had, compared to that of me having none at all. Try to limit your rule-breaking foods where you can and your teeth will thank you later!
3. Don’t forget to schedule regular appointments! As a full-time college student, I know it can be tricky to schedule your orthodontist appointments around lectures, but it’s important to keep up on your game to help get them off right on time! So don’t forget your butt in that chair every month and those braces will be off in no time!
*photo courtesy of Photopin.com
4. Smile Big! No matter when you’re scheduled to get them off, don’t forget to embrace your smile and smile big! Your teeth look great with them on, and they will with them off too, so rock those train tracks and you’ll be celebrating your new straight smile soon!!*Photo courtesy of Photopin.com
PS. Don’t forget to wear your retainer!
*Thumbnail courtesy of Photopin.com