Consider These Helpful Tips from an Emergency Dentist in Mesquite

Seeing your children dress up in the cutest costumes is not only fun for them, but perfect for a photo-op! What’s not so good for a photo-op is a damaged set of braces caused by Halloween candy. Avoiding orthodontic emergencies isn’t only good for your child’s holiday; it’s also critical to avoiding interruptions in their realignment.

That’s why an emergency dentist in Mesquite is explaining the most common orthodontic emergencies, how to handle them, and the proper steps for prevention.

What Constitutes as an Orthodontic Emergency?

Many people may not realize what an orthodontic emergency includes, but it’s actually quite simple. To start, if an elastic band that fits over a bracket comes off, this is not considered a dental emergency and can be handled at your child’s next visit. If your child has minor sores or ulcerations on the inside of the lips or cheeks, these should go away on their own after about a week. However, if they don’t go away, tell the orthodontist during your child’s visit. Additionally, tooth discomfort or soreness after tightening hardware is considered normal and will subside over time.

Orthodontic emergencies typically include:

• Loose or broken brackets
• Loose bands (exclusive to patients with bad habits or in need of expanders)
• Wire ends poking out the sides of brackets
• A wire coming completely out

Some of these issues are easier to handle on your own than others, so we’ll go into more detail about that now.

How to Handle Orthodontic Emergencies

One of the most common issues patients have is a loose wire sticking out of a bracket and irritating the gums. If you experience irritation caused by an exposed wire, use a pencil eraser or cotton swab to push the wire back into the bracket. If the wire does not move, use a small piece of dental wax to cover the wire end. This material can be bought in any pharmacy or grocery store over-the-counter. A pair of clean nail clippers can also be used to clip the excess wire off if you aren’t able to get to the store and irritation is present.

If the wire is completely removed, try to push it back into the bracket with your hands or a pair of tweezers. You can also cut the excess wire until your next orthodontic appointment. Loose or broken brackets should trigger a call to an orthodontist in Mesquite as soon as possible.

The Right Steps to Prevention

When your child is out collecting candy on Halloween, consider the following steps to prevent emergencies in the first place:

• Avoid sticky candies (caramel, gummies, licorice, taffy, bubblegum, hard candy, jelly beans, etc.) See if the adult at the house has any candy that’s more braces-friendly.
• Good alternatives for candy include soft chocolates, peanut butter cups and other candies that aren’t hard, crunchy, sticky, or gooey.
• Have your child brush and floss their teeth before they go to bed.
• Make sure they’re drinking water during and after they finish trick-or-treating.

Need more tips on preparing for Halloween this year? Schedule an appointment today!

About Bear Creek Family Dentistry

There are few practices that have as many dental specialists at one location like Bear Creek does. With a general dentist and orthodontist available in one building, there’s no need to travel all over town to have your child’s oral health needs met. To learn more about the practice, you can contact their Mesquite location through their website.