Taking Care of Your Teeth After Braces – 10 Things You Will Notice

For the millions of people around the world who have started their journey with braces, there is nothing worth waiting for more than that exciting and long anticipated day that the dentist yanks off the braces and gives them the smile they had always wanted.

But life after braces is always a new experience,and most people usually struggle with the changes that they start to notice in the days after the braces have been removed. Life is not the same after you get braces and since you can’t roll back the hands of time, the best thing you can do is live with the changes and get used to life pre-braces again.

This article contains 10 things you will notice as soon as your braces get taken off.

1. Calluses:

That’s right. You now have calluses within your lips. This is one of the initial things people notice once the braces get taken off the teeth. And for people with metal braces, the calluses are going to be more pronounced on the insides of your lips where the more sensitive skin was. They form when you have the brace son, but you typically can’t tell because the braces mask how they feel. The good news about this is that calluses eventually go away.

2. Even Teeth:

Your teeth are now even! Although you may not have been able to feel the rearrangement of your teeth, you still might have noticed the subtle changes to your smile day after day of wearing braces. Finally, when you get the braces off, you will be able to see pretty clearly how everything lines up. This usually makes people look differently at themselves as they are used to seeing themselves with a mouth full of metal.

3. Eating Will Feel Different:

You had to learn how to eat with braces for the last few years. You also had to eliminate certain foods from your diet because they ran the risk of damaging the braces.  So, imagine how much of a shock it will be for your mouth to notice that you don’t have to worry about that anymore. All eating restrictions are revoked by default,so you don’t have to worry about avoiding certain foods because everything is back on the menu. Want to bite into that crunchy apple? Go for it! Want to dip that apple in some caramel? What’s stopping you?

4. Brushing and Flossing Your Teeth:

Now that your metal brackets are off, brushing and flossing your teeth gets much easier. You no longer need special brushes or flossing devices to make sure you are getting them completely clean after you eat. Once the braces come off, you can keep your teeth clean much more easily without having to worry about the brackets and wire. With fewer obstacles getting in your way, getting your mouth clean is usually a walk in the park but that does not give you a free pass to slack off on your brushing,and it certainly doesn’t mean you can stop flossing.

As you begin to incorporate new foods into your diet, you need to be diligent about brushing and flossing thoroughly.

5. Your Teeth Might be Tender:

After years of wearing braces, your teeth are now tender. The process of getting your braces off feels a bit like the process to get them on,and the dentist who does the braces removal will need to use force to remove the brackets and the glue from your mouth. This may not hurt,but over the next few days, you may notice that your gums and teeth now feel very tender and there may be some mild pain or discomfort. This sensation feels a little like how you felt after the braces were put on initially, but the good news is that it is usually justa temporary feeling.

6. Your Teeth Might be Discolored:

As soon as your braces come off, the first thing you may notice is that your teeth are a little yellow and discolored. Braces will help straighten your teeth,  but they can also affect how white and shiny that smile of yours is. An effect of braces is often a little discoloration,but that is something a whitening session with your dentist can easily correct. You will typically whiten your teeth shortly after having your braces removed, so it is not something you will have to worry about for too long.

You may also notice some calcification;this is usually good for the teeth because it means you are getting adequate calcium and you have strong teeth. Talk to your orthodontist if you don’t like how the spots look.

7. You Need Follow up Appointments:

With your braces off, your days at the dentist do not automatically end. Most people usually have at least one follow-up appointment at their dentist’s office. They want to check the alignment of your teeth and ensure that the retainer you were given is providing you with a good fit so that your newly straightened teeth don’t begin shifting out of place.

To prevent their teeth going back to its original position, most people wear their retainers indefinitely. People who skip wearing their retainers for a few nights realize that the retainer starts to feel a little tight or hard to fit in properly. When you skip using the retainer and fail to follow your dentist’s orders, then you will probably end up dealing with your teeth reverting to their original position. They may begin to shift and misalign. Always follow your orthodontist’s instructions.

8. Additional Treatment:

After your braces have been removed, you may still need other forms of orthodontic treatment. Depending on the state of your teeth, your orthodontist may ask you to continue another form of treatment to ensure the progress with your teeth does not suffer a relapse.

9. Settling:

Your teeth can settle following the removal of your braces. Without the braces or wires to keep them in place and even though you are wearing your retainer diligently; your teeth can still shift. This is not cause for alarm because it means your teeth are just getting used to life without the wires or brackets to keep them in place.

10. You Get to Smile with Confidence:

Now that your braces are off, the first thing to do is take a great picture to unveil your brand-new smile to the world for all to see. Life without braces means everyone will notice your bright and new braces-free smile. After a session with your dentist to whiten your teeth, your teeth will be looking brand new!

Other things you will notice after taking your braces off include:

Improved sleep: people frequently grind their teeth at night because of crooked teeth or improper jaw alignment. Once their braces are removed, there is less jaw pain which leads to having a better night’s rest.

Improved speech- there are no brackets and wires to get in the way

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