If your child has recently gotten braces, you may worry that they may have trouble taking care of them while they are at school. If so, use the following tips to prepare your child and help make it easier for them to take care of their braces when the first head back to school.

Pack a Braces Cleaning Kit

Your child's braces have to be kept brushed and flossed after eating, even while they are in school. However, making sure this happens can be a challenge, especially if your child does not have the proper equipment to do so.

To make this process easier, send a braces cleaning kit to school with them. You can store items such as a small tube of toothpaste, travel toothbrush, and stick flossers in a pencil bag or plastic zipper bag.

In the beginning, you can check the supply bag to make sure it is being used. If not, gently remind your child of the importance of using it at school. Once your child is gotten into the habit of cleaning their teeth, you can then check up on them once or twice a week to make sure it remains fully stocked.

Check the School Lunch Menu Each Week

Another thing you can do to help your child properly take care of their braces is to check the school lunch menu each week. When looking over the food choices, you can determine whether or not your child can eat what is being offered on a particular day without harming their braces.

If you run into days that has foods that are too hard or chewy to eat with braces, you can then make plans to make their lunch with braces-friendly foods. Or, you can send a few food items to replace anything you deem unsafe for braces to ensure that your child gets enough to eat. You can ask your child's orthodontist for a list of foods they should and should not eat.

Give Your Child a Couple of Mirrors

Since braces may already make your child self-conscious, they may have a fear of having something get stuck in the wires without them knowing, leaving them open to being teased about it. One way you can help your child with this aspect is to send a couple of mirrors to school with them.

One mirror can be kept in their bag or purse so they can check their teeth after eating. Then, you can send a self-adhesive mirror they can stick in their locker so they can discreetly check themselves between classes, especially if a snack was provided.

Using the tips above can help you prepare your child for taking care of their braces while going to school. Speak with your child's orthodontist for more information and personalized advice for taking care of braces for kids.