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.

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 and can compromise the final results.

Brushing

It's more important than ever to brush and floss regularly when you have braces, so the teeth and gums are healthy during and 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 may need to see a periodontist prior to starting their treatment.

Retainer Instructions

• Wear your retainers full time, until the doctor instructs otherwise.
• Take your retainers out when eating... and always put retainers in their case! (Most appliances are lost in school lunch rooms or restaurants.)
• Clean retainers thoroughly once a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Use warm but not hot water. Brushing retainers removes the plaque, and eliminates odors. Efferdent or other orthodontic appliance cleaners can be used, but do not take the place of brushing.
• When retainers are not in your mouth they should ALWAYS be in a retainer case. Pets love to chew on them!
• Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practice speaking, reading, or singing out loud to get used to them faster.
• Retainers are breakable, so treat them with care. If retainers are lost or broken call us immediately.
• If you have any questions or concerns about your retainers, or your retainers need adjusting, call us. Do not try to adjust them yourself.
• Always bring your retainers to your appointments.
• Retainer replacement is expensive... with proper care they will last for years!
• Remove retainers when swimming.
• Keep retainers away from hot water, hot car dashboards, pockets, the washing machine, and napkins.

• Wear your expander all the time. That means all day, during meals, and while sleeping.
• Remove your expander only to brush your teeth. Brush your expander at least twice a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste.

• Turn your expansion screws as instructed. Insert the key into the hole and turn toward the arrow.
• If you are unable to keep your scheduled appointment, stop turning the expander.

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.

Loose Wire or Band

Don’t be alarmed if a bracket or wire becomes loose. Call the office during the regular office hours for guidance.

Emergency Care

Emergencies are when patients are in severe pain or when something is protruding/sticking into soft tissues causing pain or bleeding. Please call our office immediately for directions.

Our immediate objective is to bring the patient into the office and make them comfortable as soon as possible. Some emergencies may also require repair which needs additional time or a separate appointment.

After hours, our calls are forwarded to an answering service. They will direct your call appropriately. If you do not hear back from us within 30 minutes, call back.