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| Braces 101 |
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Eating with Braces
What can you eat? Let's talk about what you shouldn't eat! If you've been
wanting to drop a few pounds, the first week wearing braces is just your chance!
For the first day or so, stick to soft foods. Avoid tough meats, hard breads,
and raw vegetables. Before long, you'll be able to bite a cucumber again. But
you'll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long
as you're wearing braces.
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 three to five days. This can be
relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one
teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously.
If the tenderness is severe, take aspirin 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!
Loosening of Teeth
This is to be expected throughout treatment. Don't worry! It's normal. Teeth
must loosen first so they can be moved. The teeth will again become rigidly
fixed in their new – corrected – positions.
Loose Wire or Band
Don't be alarmed if a wire or band comes loose. This happens occasionally.
If wire protrudes and is irritating, use a blunt instrument (back of spoon
or the eraser end of a pencil) and carefully, gently push the irritating wire
under the archwire. Simply get it out of the way. 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. Patients who
do not keep their teeth clean may require more frequent visits to the dentist
for a professional cleaning. Adults who have a history of gum disease should
also see a periodontist 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 teeth are loosened or the appliances damaged, phone at once for an appointment.
In the meantime, treat your discomfort as you would treat any general soreness.
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