“Can braces damage my child's gums?”
My daughter is 14 years old and has just gotten her braces put on. But already, I noticed her gums are a little swollen from them. I called her orthodontist for an appointment. Is it possible for braces to damage her gums?
5 Answers
Not braces. But from not brushing throughout
Braces themselves shouldn't affect gums. However, not flossing daily while in treatment will.
Not permanently. Brackets have a lot of corners and edges and the lips will need to "toughen up". At first lips can be very sore- the orthodontist should have wax to apply to the brackets while the lips get used to the new hardware. Soon, the lips as well as all parts of the mouth will get used to the braces and wires.
Hope this helps and good luck!
Jossi Stokes, DDS
Hope this helps and good luck!
Jossi Stokes, DDS
Patients do get gingival irritation from braces, especially if they are positioned too close to the gingiva. They will get back to the normal contour as long as the patient is brushing and flossing properly. Please do consult with your orthodontist for further check-up.
The braces don't damage the gums, however, I notice this problem quite frequent in girls your daughter's age. The first thing to do is to make sure she is doing an excellent job brushing at least twice a day and that she flosses below the gums every day. In addition, a mouthwash like Listerine can help. I also believe that there is a hormonal component because I often see this type of problem develop in girls with excellent oral hygiene.
