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Eating with Braces
What can you eat? Let's talk about what you shouldn't eat! For the first day or so, stick to softer foods, as your teeth will be a bit sore. Avoid tough meats, hard breads, and raw vegetables. Before long, you'll be able to eat most everything again with some restrictions. During your treatment you'll need to take special precautions to protect your braces. We’ll review the “do’s” and “don’ts” with you when your appliances are placed.
Foods to Avoid
- Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
- Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips
- Sticky foods: caramels, gum
- Hard foods: nuts, candy
- Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots
- Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.
General Soreness
When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for one to five days. If the tenderness is severe, you can take aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®), acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain. The lips, cheeks and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks as they “toughen” and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this; we’ll show you how! In addition, topical anesthetics like Orajel® and Anbesol® can be used to help you through this initial stage of treatment.
Loosening of Teeth
This is to be expected throughout treatment. Don't worry! It's normal. It is just the result of the natural process of bone remodeling around the roots of your teeth as they move. The teeth will again become tighter in their new – corrected – positions as the bone remodeling catches-up.
Loose Wire or Band
Don't be alarmed if a wire, brace, or a back band comes loose. This happens occasionally. If wire protrudes and is irritating, use a blunt instrument (back of spoon or the eraser/unsharpened end of a pencil) and carefully, gently push the irritating wire out of the way. You can also use a fingernail clipper or small wire cutter to snip off a protruding end – that is completely okay! It will not adversely affect your treatment progress. If irritation to the lips or mouth continues, place wax or wet cotton on the wire to reduce the annoyance. Call our office as soon as possible for an appointment to check and repair the appliances. If any piece comes off, save it and bring it with you to the office.
Care of Appliances
To successfully complete the treatment plan, the patient must work together with the orthodontist. The teeth and jaws can only move toward their corrected positions if the patient consistently wears the rubber bands, headgear or other appliances as prescribed. Damaged appliances lengthen the treatment time.
Brushing
It's more important than ever to brush and floss regularly when you have braces, so the teeth and gums are healthy after orthodontic treatment. Poor oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment can result in unhealthy (swollen, red, and bleeding) gum tissues, permanent white marks on teeth, and even cavities. Patients who do not keep their teeth clean may require more frequent visits to the dentist for professional cleanings. Adults who have a history of gum disease should also see a periodontist (gum specialist) during orthodontic treatment.
Athletics
If you play sports, it's important that you consult us for special precautions. A protective mouthguard is advised for playing contact sports. In case of any accident involving the face, check your mouth and the appliances immediately. If you notice any tissue trauma, loosened teeth or damaged braces, phone at once for an appointment. In the meantime, treat your discomfort as you would treat any general soreness.
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