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Dear Dr. Barakat,
My daughter just got her braces put on last month. We are traveling for the holidays and aren’t sure what she will need to bring with her to properly take care of her braces. Can you help?
Dear Concerned Parent,
It’s great that you want your daughter to care for her braces properly, no matter where she is. Learning how to take care of your teeth and gums while wearing braces is an important skill for your daughter to have.
Making a travel kit for a new braces wearer is easier than you may think. You probably already have everything in your home and can easily put it together in a kit or pouch for traveling. A well-stocked braces travel kit can be used for school, the gym, and sports practices as well.
First, collect the basics for oral health. A travel or full-sized toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, and a fluoridated mouth rinse are all necessary for good oral health. Travel sizes can easily be found at grocery stores or big-box retailers. Make sure the toothpaste is gentle and fluoridated.
Next, add the necessary items for braces hygiene. Floss or interdental flossing picks should be used to remove the food particles that get stuck between the wires and teeth. A small interproximal dental brush and interdental picks are essential for cleaning the small spaces around the brackets a toothbrush might miss. Don’t forget to include dental wax in case your daughter has a wire come loose or pokes while you’re traveling.
Make sure you include a list of orthodontists in the area where you are traveling. If your daughter happens to have an issue with her braces that can’t be resolved with dental wax, knowing where orthodontists are in the area will be very helpful to get it dealt with quickly and with minimal time away from your holiday fun!
Put all of the necessary items into a zippered pouch or even a Ziploc bag, pack it in your daughter’s travel bag and enjoy your trip knowing you’ve provided all of the essentials for your daughter to care for her orthodontics while she’s not at home.
Put all of the necessary items into a zippered pouch or even a Ziploc bag, pack it in your daughter’s travel bag and enjoy your trip knowing you’ve provided all of the essentials for your daughter to care for her orthodontics while she’s not at home.
Dr. Rana Barakat, a board-certified specialist in Orthodontics, has been proudly serving Northern Virginia for more than 20-years! She has built her practice on a personal touch and excellent treatment.
As a parent, she understands wanting the best for your children by giving them beautiful, confident smiles. She makes it a priority to ensure optimal results, but also believes that each patient’s experience during treatment is just as important as the clinical result. As the 2015-16 President of the Virginia Association of Orthodontists, Dr. Barakat’s dedication and expertise reflect why her peers continue to nominate her as a Top Dentist.
Barakat Orthodontics is located at 45745 Nokes Blvd., Ste. 175, Sterling, VA 20166. Connect by visiting them online, or get social with them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Barakat Orthodontics can also be reached at (703) 433-9330.
