Swollen Gums Don’t Have To Happen – Even If You Wear Braces

There used to be a rumor that life as you know it stops when you get braces. Depending on the life you know, this does not have to be true! At the same time, swollen gums seem to be a natural progression of a mouth wearing braces. In some cases gums may become so irritated they can actually bleed, making for a painful and embarrassing situation. Again, this does not have to be you! There are simple steps you can take to protect your gums, the braces which are straightening your teeth and the overall health of your mouth.

Step One: Do not chew on anything that might get lodged in between your braces and gums and irritate them to the point of swelling.

This can happen if you chew on nuts, popcorn or chips. Choosing to avoid these foods can save you a great deal of trouble.

Step Two: Be very careful about the kind of candy you choose.

By and large you need to avoid the sticky kind (gum and taffy). But, also stay away from Milk Duds, Skittles and other small chewy candies. These may actually leave tiny pieces behind, which can chafe between the braces and the gums. This process can lead to swollen, irritated and bleeding gums. In some cases they can lead to the formation of pockets between the gums and teeth and bacteria may breed. This in turn could actually cause receding gums to be a natural progression of the condition.

Step Three: Avoid certain mannerisms prone to be problematic.

If you are prone to chewing on your fingernails, stop! Small pieces of the nail can position themselves between brace and gum, leading to swelling. The same is true for using your teeth to open bags of any kinds. Far too often people have become accustomed to using their teeth as tools. Day to day operations of opening containers and even holding things when both hands are required elsewhere are now being done with teeth, which can be harmful! These practices will only aggravate the gums.

Step Four: Practice good oral hygiene.

Brushing and flossing are still a requirement when you wear braces. In addition to these tried and true dental hygiene measures, you may want to consider adding a water sprayer to your arsenal. It works a bit like a liquid toothpick and can help you shake loose food particles that might have gotten caught in your braces. Since it does tend to irritate the gum tissue when overused, once daily on a low setting is all that should be done.

Swollen gums don’t have to happen, even if you wear braces. Teaching children about swollen gums, bleeding gums and cavities is something parents can do early on. With just a bit of know-how and dedicated care your gums will come out of the process unharmed. In fact, the odds of emerging with a dazzling smile, straight and beautiful looking teeth are better than just good. When all is said and done, the changes in oral hygiene and also overall habits will have been well worth the frustration.