Brace Yourself: Top 5 Braces Myths Busted

For many adolescents, getting fitted for and wearing braces are a rite of passage. And everyone knows that there are just certain rules you have to follow when you have braces, right? Hold up! Maybe not. Before your teen freaks over the do's and don'ts, prepare to have your top 5 braces myths busted.

#5: No Pain, No Gain

Many believe that braces have to be painful in order to be effective. That simply isn't true. While some discomfort may be experienced, especially during or right after tightening, ongoing or high-level pain can mean that something is wrong. If pain sticks around and is more than simple discomfort, it's time to ask your dentist for help.

#4: Rubber Bands Don't Work

Your orthodontist may advice you and your child to wear rubber bands that attach to top and bottom braces. Think they don't really work or that it's just as good to use them once in a while instead of all the time? Nope! The ongoing tightening that rubber bands provide between brace tightening appointments is important to overall tooth alignment.

#3: No More Yummy Food

A popular braces myth is that when you get orthodontia installed, favorite foods can no longer be on the menu. While it's true that certain foods – usually sticky types like caramels or gum or chewy candy – should get a pass while braces are on, most other foods are still okay. Having braces simply means being more careful about eating and cleaning teeth and braces thoroughly after meals.

#2: Tighter Braces, Faster Alignment

Some families specifically request that braces be adjusted as tightly as possibly at each orthodontics appointment, under the belief that the tighter the braces, the fast they come off. Unfortunately, it simply doesn't work like that. Everyone's mouth is aligned differently, and that means that every mouth needs its own individual treatment plan. Trying to rush alignment could cause other problems in the future.

#1: Cool Kids Don't Get Braces

The number one myth to bust about braces is the belief that cool kids don't get braces. Want to bet? Look to some of Hollywood's coolest kids to see which celebrities cared so much about their dental health that they decided to get braces – as adults! Stars including movie great Tom Cruise, country crooner Faith Hill, rocker Gwen Stefani, big screen legend Faye Dunaway and American Idol Fantasia Barrino have all had their teeth straightened through braces – and you don't get much cooler than that.

To learn more, contact a company like Cobbe Dental & Orthodontics


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