Life with Braces

Eating with Braces

Eating with braces does present some challenges. For the first few days after your braces are placed and after adjustments your teeth will be tender. You will probably want to stick to soft foods and avoid tough meats, hard breads, and raw vegetables. Before long, you will be able to bite again, but you will need to be careful to prevent damage to your braces. We ask that you avoid hard and sticky foods that can break or loosen your braces.

Please Avoid:

• Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice
• Sticky foods: caramels, gum
• Hard foods: nuts, candy
• Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils, or fingernails) can damage the braces.

General Soreness

When you get your braces placed or when the archwire is changed your teeth may be tender to biting pressures for 3 to 5 days. This can generally be relieved by taking Tylenol or Advil (Ibuprofen) or whatever you normally take for headache or pain. The lips, cheeks, and tongue may also become irritated for the first few 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!

Brushing

During orthodontic treatment it is more important than ever to brush and floss regularly. The braces are a trap for food so extra effort is required to clean your teeth and gums and keep them healthy during treatment. Patients who do not keep their teeth clean risk damaging their teeth (cavities) and gum problems. For more information about brushing and flossing with braces please see the Canadian Association of Orthodontists website:
http://www.cao-aco.org/MEDIA/OralHygiene.html

Loose Wire or Band

Occasionally during treatment a wire, bracket or band may loosen. If a poking wire, loose brace or band causes an irritation to the lips or mouth you can place wax on the area 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 exactly as advised. Damaged appliances or braces will lengthen the treatment time.

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