How to Keep Moving Forward While Wearing Braces at Work

As a working professional, you may feel apprehensive about wearing your braces while at work. Whether you choose traditional metal brackets and wires or clear aligners, it’s important that you do all that you can to remain on track. Avoiding delays is essential if you want a straighter smile, so before you cringe with embarrassment or try to get out of that upcoming meeting, here are a few things you can do to make wearing braces at your 9-5 job manageable.

Keep a Small Bag of Dental & Orthodontic Essentials at Your Desk

Throughout the day, you’ll want to make sure that you can take proper care of your teeth and braces. After meals, you’ll need to excuse yourself to the bathroom and clean your smile, making sure to remove any food debris from between teeth as well as brackets and wires (if that is the kind of treatment you’re undergoing).

Some helpful contents might include:

• Over-the-counter pain reliever
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Dental floss
• Orthodontic wax
• Chapstick
• Mouthwash

Choose the Foods You Eat Wisely

When preparing to eat lunch while at work, you’ll want to make sure that you choose foods that will not pose a risk to your braces.

If you’re wearing metal brackets and wires, hard, crunchy foods are more likely to cause possible damage. Also, sticky foods can cause your brackets to come loose if you’re not careful.

If clear aligners are what you’re wearing, you have a bit more freedom to eat the foods you love; however, if you’re new to treatment, you may find that softer foods are less uncomfortable to eat. The pressure and discomfort caused by shifting teeth can make eating denser foods more difficult.

Show Off Your Confident Self

Just because you’re wearing braces doesn’t mean that you have to hide your smile. No matter the type of orthodontic treatment you choose, the fact that you’ve decided to take proper care of your pearly whites says something.

It’s unlikely that your colleagues will say much about your braces, but if they do, don’t feel any shame. Undergoing orthodontic treatment is temporary, which means that once you achieve your desired results, you can expect everyone will be remarking about how beautiful your smile looks.

In the meantime, don’t fear what others might say but instead, remain confident in yourself.

Wearing braces doesn’t have to be a dreadful experience, even as a professional. With the right mindset and tips to follow, you’ll be able to move throughout your workday with ease as you prepare for life with a healthier, straighter, and more beautiful smile.

About the Author
Dr. Susan Podray-Donovan is a board-certified orthodontist who strives to help patients achieve straighter smiles. Offering an array of orthodontic options for individuals who prefer one method of treatment over another, she can make living life with braces easier than ever before. If you are concerned about wearing clear aligners or metal brackets and wires as an adult, visit our website or call (470) 589-4475.