Bruxism, or tooth-grinding, is fairly common among children. It is estimated that between fifteen and thirty-three percent of the population will grind their teeth at some point during their childhoods. It is particularly common for this to happen when a child’s new teeth erupt, as the pain that this causes is conducive of grinding.

The habit generally passes quickly after the pain passes, but you may occasionally see your children continue to grind long afterward. To prevent unnecessary damage, consider the following tips to manage a child’s bruxism:

• It is common to grind without even realizing it, usually while one sleeps. Be mindful of your child complaining about headaches or a sore jaw, and listen for the sound of grinding during the night.
• Stress is a major cause of bruxism. Consider ways that you might manage a child’s stress, and help him or her relax before going to bed.
• Show your child how to massage the muscles around the jaw area. Relaxing these muscles can help alleviate grinding.
• Sometimes, bruxism is caused or aggravated by dehydration. Be sure that your children are getting enough water every day.
• If you continue to have problems, talk to your dentist. Some extreme cases will require special attention to avoid destroying or losing some of a child’s permanent teeth.

Knowing Your Braces-Friendly Diet

If you opted for wire braces, instead of clear aligners, wearing braces and eating at the same time can present a challenging scenario. Whether you’re new at wearing this orthodontic device or have settled down after a year’s wear, it is still possible to damage your braces if you eat the wrong foods or even chew carelessly. Your orthodontist has certainly told you that for the sake of treatment success, as far as the foods to eat are concerned, you must follow some diet recommendations. There are foods that are off-limits and those where a degree of caution is advised.

Hard foods should be avoided. Candies, hard bread like pizza crust, nuts, and hard vegetables like raw carrots can damage wires and brackets. They require a strong bite force that may cause scratches, dents, chips, or worse, breakage of the appliance. If you must, do cook the veggies first or soften hard bread in soup or sauce before eating them. Go for soft fruits like grapefruits, nectarines, kiwi, and tangerines.

Sticky foods like bubble gum, caramel, toffees, peanut butter and other similar treats can stick to the wires and brackets; cleaning them can be cumbersome. Also avoid extra chewy foods like bagels.

Tough meats like beef jerky can loosen the wires and brackets of braces, the same with poorly cooked beef or pork. Dairy products like yogurt and cheese are good alternatives to tough meat. Eggs is another good alternative especially top breakfast foods like bacon.

For deserts, go for pudding, applesauce, smoothies, or ice cream. Avoid snacking on nuts, including peanuts, almonds and cashews, as well as crunchy foods like popcorn or potato chips.
Also consider the following braces-friendly foods: calcium-rich foods like milk, yogurt, cheese, and other dairy. Cook, steam and cut up broccoli, kale, okra, and tofu that are also high in calcium. Take protein-rich foods, as soft meats, tofu, eggs, and beans, or a protein shake healthy breakfast. Soft cheese, too, which can help reduce mouth acidity, a prime cause of tooth decay and irritation in people with braces. An occasional sugar-free candy promotes saliva production, supporting growth of positive bacteria.

Remember, eat the foods that will make the enamel stronger for the better your braces will stick to your teeth. Keep the area around the brackets clean and clear of food to help preserve your teeth and braces.

Learn More About Good Foods for Braces

Know more about the braces-friendly diet from your Bellevue dentist. See us regularly as we journey with you in your orthodontic treatment. We give more than just great food advice.

Invisalign and traditional dental braces both have their own benefits. The option you choose is largely going to depend on your specific problem.

The big benefit of Invisalign is that it is very innocuous. It comes in the form of clear trays, built according to a computer model to closely fit over your teeth. These trays are able to gently guide your teeth into alignment over time, all without the wires that make many adults self-conscious in social situations. As an added benefit, wearing Invisalign is generally more comfortable than wearing braces, and is less likely to affect your speech while you wear it.

The problem with Invisalign is that it is not as effective for more complex problems. While it works well for simple issues, people with more dramatically crooked teeth will likely need to opt for traditional wire braces.

If you are struggling with crooked teeth or an unaligned bite, don’t wait to seek treatment. Talk to your dentist to learn more about whether or not you are a candidate for Invisalign.