You may be excited about your child’s new braces and future straight teeth, but he or she is likely apprehensive and anxious about the transition. Here are ways to help ease your teen’s worries and make the journey a bit easier for the both of you.
- Make a celebrity braces collage
A fun way to forget about the pending transition is to get excited about the outcome. Some of your child’s favourite celebrities wore braces and now have a beautiful smile. Search celebrities Estelle, Niall Horan, Emma Watson, and Selena Gomez for awesome teeth transformations.
- Research adjustments for school activities
If your child plays sports or an instrument at school, be sure to look into the appropriate steps to take in order to prevent pain or discomfort. Sports should always be played with a gum shield (mouthguard), and some musical instruments may require an alternate mouthpiece if necessary.
- Set up breakfast in bed
Your teen will most certainly appreciate the extra attention in your effort to make him or her feel better about their new culinary restrictions. Some lovely meals to cook up are banana batter pancakes or scrambled eggs – which are safe for braces. Fun, nutritious smoothies are also a sweet treat. Remember to brush afterwards!
- Try out band colours
Encourage your child to make a fashion statement with their braces using colour bands. Search the Internet for inspiration photos of cool colour schemes and perhaps even suggest they to hang an inspiration board of all their favorite designs.
- Help them stick to a routine
It is going to taking some getting used to, but it is important to help your teenager create responsible habits to properly care for his or her new braces. Better oral care means less pain, complications, and doctor’s visits!
- Be patient
Make sure your child feels like you understand and are not dismissing his or her discomfort or concerns.
For more ideas on ways to keep your teen excited about dental care and his or her new braces, request an appointment and have a chat with your dentist.