Braces rubber bands: how to cope with them

If you have dental braces - as I proudly do- you know what a nag the rubber bands are, they hurt when the dentist replaces them and how terribly tarnished they look after a week more or less.

Braces rubber bands have a very important purpose: moving you teeth back and forward, depending on the purpose the dentist wants to give them. These long elastics are placed in diagonal way. They are not the little ligatures attached to each brace.

At first they hurt as hell because they are very tight, so you can change them frequently. It is better you take off their rubber bands before each meal and place new one after eating and also before going to bed.

I also recommend you avoiding hard-chewing meals as bread and meat, too (I have some ice cream to ease the pain).

What happen if I swallow one of my braces rubber bands?

Do not worry; braces bands are made of medical latex safe for human consumption. It will be evacuated through the feces.

They are only dangerous if you swallow too many of them, which only a child would do, so keep an eye when you child is changing his braces rubber bands.