Life With Braces
Now that you have braces, how do you take care of them? It is very important for you to know how to properly take care of your braces throughout your orthodontic treatment.
Eating With Braces
You will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances.
Foods to avoid with Braces:
Chewy foods – bagels, licorice
Crunchy foods – popcorn, chips, ice
Sticky foods – caramel candies, chewing gum
Hard foods – nuts, hard candies
Foods that require biting into – corn on the cob, apples, carrots
Foods that you CAN eat with Braces:
Dairy – soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks
Breads – soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins without nuts
Grains – pasta, soft cooked rice
Meats/poultry – soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats
Seafood – tuna, salmon, crabcakes
Vegetables – mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans
Fruits – applesauce, bananas, fruit juice
Treats – ice cream without nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, soft cakes
Braces And Care
Always remember to brush your teeth after every meal and floss at least once a day.
Keep your retainer clean too, by brushing it gently with a toothbrush and toothpaste. You may also soak it in denture cleanser. Do not put retainer in boiling water or dishwasher.
During your treatment, try to avoid foods with a lot of sugar.
Be sure to schedule your routine checkups with your family dentist. With braces, food may be caught in places that your toothbrush can’t reach. This causes bacteria to build up that can lead to cavities, gingivitis, and gum disease. Hence, it’s even more important that you continue with dental cleanings every six months.
Emergency Care
When you first get your braces, your mouth and teeth feel a little tender or sore. This is perfectly normal. To relieve the pain, we recommend gargling with a solution of one teaspoon of salt in eight oz. of lukewarm water. If the pain is more severe, you can try taking a pain reliever. You can also put wax on the braces to lessen the tenderness. If any wires or bands come loose, please contact us soon, so that we can check and repair your appliance. Be sure to save any loose parts, and bring them to the office with you.
Feel free to call our office when you experience severe pain or have a painful appliance problem you can’t take care of yourself. We will schedule an appointment at the earliest convenient time to resolve the problem.