Braces 101

Eating With Braces

With braces there are a list of foods you need to avoid. Keep in mind that you also need to avoid foods related to specific foods listed. (Any foods that are hard, crunchy, sticky, or chewy … when in doubt leave it out!) The first day or so, stick to soft foods and gradually work your way up to standard foods. Before long, you'll be eating normally again.

Foods to Avoid

• Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, pizza crust, and Texas Toast
• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips (Fritos, Doritos, Cheetos, pretzels, and tortilla chips)
• Sticky foods: caramels, taffies, sticky candies, Starburst, Skittles, and bubblegum
• Hard foods: nuts, hard candy (Sucking on lollipops and hard candies doesn’t typically work—at some point you tend to bite into it without even thinking)
• Corn on the cob, apples, carrots, wings, ribs, fried chicken (You need to cut raw fruits and vegetables into very small pieces and cut meat off the bone. Corn on the cob may be eaten after you remove it from the cob first.)
• Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils, or fingernails, straws and toothpicks) 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 saltwater mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take 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

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 when we place retainers.

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Loose Wire or Band

Do not be alarmed if a wire or band comes loose. This happens occasionally. If a wire protrudes and is irritating, use a blunt instrument (the back of a 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

Good brushing and flossing habits are very important when you have braces. 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. Poor brushing can cause permanent damage to your teeth that may require costly restorative treatment after orthodontic treatment.

Athletics

For those of you who play sports, it's important that you consult us for special precautions. A protective mouthguard, designed specifically for braces, 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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