Eating with Braces
What can you eat? Let's talk about what you should not eat! For the first day
or so, stick to soft foods. Avoid tough meat, hard breads, and raw vegetables.
You'll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as
you're wearing braces.
Avoid:
- Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, pizza crust, beef jerky
- Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice
- Sticky foods: caramels, taffy, licorice
- Gum: avoid all gum
- Hard foods: hard fruits such as apples, unless they are cut very thin,
raw vegetables, peanuts
- Brittle, hard pretzels, crackers, corn chips and taco shells
- Soda: acid in soda will cause decalcification
Chewing on hard things (i.e. pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces.
Broken appliances will prolong overall treatment time.
General Soreness
When you get your braces on,
you may feel general soreness in your mouth and the
teeth may be tender to biting pressures for one to five days. Ibuprofen and
acetaminophen are very helpful for relieving tooth tenderness following
adjustment appointments. The lips, cheeks and tongue also can become irritated
for one to two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the surface of
the braces. Our special orthodontic wax can be applied to the braces to lessen
this temporary discomfort. 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. They will again become firm 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 or other appliances
as prescribed by Dr. Robison. Damaged appliances lengthen the treatment time.
Brushing
It's more important than ever to brush 3 to 4 times a day and floss regularly
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 should see
their dentist or periodontist every 3 months during orthodontic treatment.
Athletics
While playing sports, it's important to consult Dr. Robison first for special
precautions. A protective mouth guard is advised for playing contact sports.
In case of an accident involving the face, check your mouth and appliances
immediately. If teeth are loosened or the appliances damaged, phone our office
at once for an appointment.
Loose Bracket, Band or Wire
Don't be alarmed if a wire, bracket or band comes loose. Occasionally this
happens. If irritation to the lips or mouth continues, place wax on the wire
to reduce the annoyance. Call our office as soon as possible for an appointment
to check, clip or repair the appliances. Remember that treatment will be delayed,
lengthening treatment time if broken appliances are left unattended.
|
