Orthodontic Treatment: Staying Confident as an Adult
It isn’t uncommon for many people to associate braces or orthodontic treatment in general with children and teens. This is because it is more common for younger people to have treatment while their teeth are still moving and they’re not at the stage where they’re too concerned about their image yet. With that being said, adults can invest in orthodontic treatment too!
Maintaining confidence is so important when you have braces or aligners as different forms of treatment can be known to make people self-conscious. However, this doesn’t have to be the case! Keep reading this article to find out how you can stay confident as an adult when receiving orthodontic treatment.
Make your treatment work for you
One of the first ways to stay confident when receiving treatment is to choose your ideal treatment plan. You’ll be happy to know that there are loads of different types of treatment options available – some that are slightly pricier but worth it. One example of this is night time clear aligners that bring the same results as a fixed brace. Fixed braces are usually a bit more affordable than invisible braces, but the latter is much more flexible and discrete.
Adults tend to opt for discrete options so they can hide the fact that they have braces. Of course, you don’t need to consider this and hide the fact you have braces, but some find that their confidence improves with a flexible treatment plan. Treatment providers offer night time clear aligners which is a perfect option if you’d like a discrete brace. Rather than being semi-permanently fixed onto your teeth for the duration of your treatment, you simply put them over your teeth every evening before bed and wear them while you sleep.
Having a flexible treatment option might be the best thing for you if you’re concerned about how you’ll look as an adult with braces. However, it is important to remember that you’ll be the only person that has concerns about it. You don’t need to worry about other peoples opinions!
Watch what you eat
If you have chosen a treatment plan where you’ll have a semi-permanent fixed brace, then you might have worries about food getting stuck in your teeth or your brace. This is completely normal and shouldn’t affect whether you choose to get them or not. However, there are some things you can put in place to deal with this if you are worried about it. For example, to make you more confident in work after you snack or eat your lunch, you can take a toothbrush and mouthwash to work to clean your teeth and gums after you eat. This will help you stay confident and fresh all day long.
Moreover, watching what you consume should be a focal point when you are receiving orthodontic treatment. For instance, we all know that too much sugar can wreak havoc on our teeth – causing enamel erosion which subsequently resulting in cavities. Although if you keep your mouth clean and staying mindful of the foods you eat and how much sugar you consume, you can stay confident in your treatment plan.
Have a great oral hygiene routine
Thirdly, and one of the more important points to consider, is to have a great oral hygiene routine. Similar to our previous point, continuously brushing your teeth and using mouthwash is a great way to keep your teeth and gums healthy. This becomes even more important when you are getting orthodontic treatment because it can be a bit harder to reach crevices of the mouth, the gum line and in between the teeth when you have a brace or retainer on.
Therefore, maintaining a great oral hygiene routine will help you stay confident in your oral health. Some products and tools you can invest in include an electric toothbrush, high fluoride toothpaste, blue mouthwash (this can have a whitening effect!), interdental sticks, a floss threader, a tongue scraper; and if you really want to take your routine to an expert-level, a water flosser. Each of these things will definitely keep your mouth clean if used effectively and you can be confident that your teeth will look pearly white when your treatment ends.
Be positive for the future
Finally, your confidence starts with your positivity. If you stay negative about your treatment plan, don’t follow it correctly and don’t maintain a good oral hygiene routine, then you can’t stay confident that your treatment plan will be worth it. However, if you keep your positive spirits high and believe that this will pass, then you’ll be on the road to optimum confidence.
Overall, do not worry about having orthodontic treatment and don’t let it get you down. Stay happy, confident and tell yourself that the end result will be worth it!
