Life with Braces
Now that you have your braces, how do you take care of them? It's important for you to know how to properly take care of your braces throughout your entire orthodontic treatment.
Eating with Braces
Braces have brackets, bands, and wires that are all prone to damage from certain foods and eating habits. You’ll need to take special care to avoid foods that could damage your new appliances.
Foods to avoid...
- Chewy or sticky foods... bagels, beef jerky, caramels, gummy candies
- Crunchy or hard foods... popcorn, ice, most kinds of nuts, hard candies
- Foods that require biting into... apples, corn on the cob, hard sandwiches
Foods TO ENJOY...
- Dairy… yogurt, soft cheeses, pudding, ice cream
- Grains… pasta, rice, pancakes, soft breads, lentils
- Meat/poultry… chicken, meatballs, lunch meats
- Seafood… tuna, salmon, crab
- Veggies… avocado, mashed potatoes, beans
- Fruits… bananas, berries, applesauce, mangoes
- Treats… soft cakes and cookies, sugar-free gum, milkshakes
Soreness Caused from Braces and Appliances
It is very normal to feel general soreness when you first get your braces on and when the orthodontist makes adjustments. Your mouth and teeth may be tender for a few days as they adjust to the pressure of the attachments. We recommend taking pain relievers like Advil as needed, eating a diet of soft foods until your teeth no longer hurt, and/or icing your gums for up to 15 minutes.
Loose Brackets and Bands
A bracket is any of the pieces that are glued to the front of your tooth and bands are the metal rings that fit around your back molars. Occasionally, a bracket or band may become loose. If it is still attached to the wire, leave it in place and cover it with wax if needed to lessen discomfort. If it has fallen out or can be removed, keep it in an envelope to bring with you to the office at your next appointment. Usually, a loose bracket won’t necessitate immediate repair and can wait until your next appointment. But if you are experiencing severe pain give us a call to address the issue.
Take Care of Your Appliances
Damaged appliances can increase the length of your treatment process, so be sure to take care of all your appliances. Your teeth and jaw can only move into their correct positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, headgear, retainer, or other appliances prescribed by your doctor.
Playing Sports
If you play a sport with a high degree of contact, it’s a good idea to wear a mouthguard. This will protect your mouth from injury and/or your orthodontic appliances from damage if you get hit by another player or a ball.
Brushing and Flossing
Most orthodontists do recommend brushing your teeth after every meal (at least three times a day) in order to prevent the buildup of food and plaque in the mouth. It is important that, whatever your situation, you make sure to brush your teeth in the morning and at night before going to bed, as well as flossing daily to get in between the braces and teeth where your brush cannot reach. Your orthodontist can show you how to brush and floss effectively once your braces are in place.
Brushing with Braces
After every meal, brush your teeth for two minutes using a soft-bristled toothbrush and a toothpaste containing fluoride. Brush the outside and inside surfaces of your teeth in small, circular motions while positioning the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gumline. Pay close attention to the areas around brackets and appliances for food particles that may be stuck.
Flossing with Braces
To floss with braces, you can use a floss threader to get behind each wire and between brackets. Begin by attaching the floss to the threader and pulling the floss between the space between your tooth and the braces wire. Then, wrapping the ends of the floss around each pointer finger, gently slide the floss between teeth in a back and forth motion. Floss the sides of each tooth to remove plaque and food particles. Repeat this process until you have flossed all your teeth. If you feel that you’re having trouble removing all the food particles between your teeth, you may want to invest in a water flosser.
We have two convenient locations in
Lakewood Ranch and
Sarasota, FLORIDA. Please call to schedule a visit and learn how we can create an incredible smile just for you!