Tips for Eating with Braces - Pediatric Dental Specialists

Avoid eating hard and sticky foods. Hard and sticky foods may bend the wires and loosen the cement under the brackets or break the brackets off completely.

Avoid eating or drinking foods that are high in sugar content such as soda and high energy drinks since these may cause “white spots” or cavities around your braces which not only are unsightly but may permanently scar your teeth.

Avoid chewing on pens, pencils and fingernails because chewing on hard things can damage the braces. Damaged braces will almost always cause treatment to take longer, and will require extra trips to the orthodontist’s office.

Please brush your teeth immediately after eating! If your unable to brush, at least rinse your mouth with water.

Healthy Tips for Patients and Parents - Pedatric Dental Specialists

1. Take your time brushing. If you fail to take the time to properly brush your teeth and stimulate your gums, swelling of the gum tissue and cavities may become a result of this neglect.

2. Brush your teeth after every meal or snack.

3. Carry a travel toothbrush at all times. Then if you’re at school you can go into the bathroom after lunch and brush your teeth. No toothpaste is necessary at this time, just a little water. If unable to brush immediately, at least rinse your mouth with water to loosen and remove the debris. Then brush as soon as possible.

4. Keep up with your routine dental appointments. Some parents are under the assumption that since a child is undergoing orthodontic care, there is no need to keep up with their routine cleanings and examinations. This is not true. Since there is a greater potential for cavities and gum disease, these regular visits are crucial to your child's dental health. At our office, our orthodontic chairside assistant will give your child a thorough understanding of how to maintain excellent oral health during their orthodontic care that will result in a lifetime of gorgeous smiles.

What to Expect for Your First Orthodontic Visit to Pediatric Dental Specialists

An initial orthodontic evaluation will help you answer several questions. How is my child’s bite? Does my child need braces? When is the best time to receive treatment? Is there anything that can be done now to prevent future problems? How much will this cost?

Dr. Planells will evaluate your child and assess your child’s bite, evaluate the space available for all the teeth, assess the growth of the jaws and make recommendations based on your child’s needs. She will also answer any questions you may have about any proposed course of action.

What to Expect on Your First Dental Visit to Our Long Beach Dentistry

We strive to make your child's first dental visit an enjoyable one. Young children receive a personalized storybook in which their name appears throughout the story. Our intention in providing this book is to help make your child more familiar and comfortable with our dental office. The storybook contains the doctor's as well as staff member's names. Perhaps the most exciting part of this book is the back page that has a place for our signatures, stickers and the picture of your child’s first visit with us.

So, when should your child's first dental visit be? The American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend infants be seen shortly after the first tooth erupts or no later than their first birthday. This first visit will help establish a dental home for your child.

The earlier you start the better chance we have to prevent any potential problems. In addition to checking for decay and other problems, our staff will teach you how to properly clean your child's teeth, identify your child's fluoride needs and offer you helpful advice that will help your child build a lifetime of good dental habits.