Caring For Your Braces

 You finally have your braces on and are on your way to a beautiful smile! While there are still many foods you can eat and activities you are able to engage in with braces, we wanted to outline some important foods to avoid, as well as some care tips for your braces.

Having braces on may seem like it will restrict virtually everything from your diet, but rest assured, you’re still able to eat an abundance of good and wholesome foods throughout the duration of your treatment.

Foods to Avoid

• 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 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
• Vegetables — mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans, sliced vegetables
• Fruits — applesauce, bananas, fruit juice, sliced fruits
• Treats — ice cream without nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, soft cake

I’m Feeling Sore From My Braces

Initially, when you first get braces, your mouth will feel a little sore and tender. This is because your teeth are not used to the new pressure put on by your braces. However, this is completely normal and we can assure you that your mouth will not feel sore forever! For pain relief, we recommend gargling with a salt-water solution or some pain relief medication. Take this very cautiously and as the bottle outlines as a proper dosage. It is also very normal for your tongue and gums to feel tender, as your mouth is getting used to having the braces in there. We will happily give you some wax, so you could put it over the bracket, where your tongue or cheek experience the most tenderness.

My Teeth Are Loose

If your teeth are starting to feel loose, don’t worry! This is a completely normal feeling when you get your braces on and for a little bit after that. This is because your braces have to loosen your teeth, to help them move to their proper position. Once your teeth are in their proper position and your braces are off, they will not feel loose any longer.

I Have a Loose Wire or Band

Sometimes, wires or bands can come loose. If you find that any of your wires have come loose, start to poke your mouth, or bands come off, please contact our office so we can get it fixed for you! If any of your appliances come off, please be sure to bring it with you to the office.

If any part of your appliance comes loose and is poking your mouth and causing discomfort or irritation, we recommend either putting wax on the area or bending the wire back gently with a spoon or an eraser end, until you’re able to come into the office to have it fixed.

Can I Still Play Sports?

The great news for athletes is that you are absolutely still able to be involved in sports or extra-curricular activities while in your orthodontic treatment! However, for those of you who do play impact sports, we recommend you wear a mouth guard to protect your braces and lips from getting damaged or broken. If you don’t know the right way to wear a mouth guard (the Boil and Mold types are the best, e.g. Under Armour or Shock Doctor), bring it in and we’ll be happy to show you the positioning it should be in for optimal protection. If anything does come off or comes loose, contact our office right away so we can fix it for you.

Please Take Care of Your Appliances

If you have a damaged appliance, this can prolong and/or lengthen the duration of your orthodontic treatment, as incorrect placement will alter the positioning of your teeth and/or jaw. It is very important that you properly take care of your orthodontic appliances. At the beginning of your treatment, our orthodontic staff will tell you how to properly care for them. If you are still unsure of the proper steps to take, feel free to call our office and we will be happy to let you know!

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