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
Don't worry, you'll be eating popcorn and snacking again in no time! However, before you can start enjoying some of the treats you love, you will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances.
Foods to avoid with braces:
- Chewy foods — bagels, jerky
- Crunchy hard foods — popcorn, peanuts, ice, corn on the cob
- Sticky foods — gum, caramel, taffy and other chewy candies
- Foods that require biting into — apples and carrots - you will want to cut these up into smaller pieces to eat
Soreness as your teeth move and straighten
When you first get your braces, you may notice that your teeth and mouth feel a little tender or sore. This is perfectly normal and we promise your mouth will not be sore forever! To relieve this discomfort, we recommend dissolving one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of lukewarm water. Swish and gargle this solution in your mouth for just a couple of minutes (do not swallow the saltwater). This should be done several times daily for 3-4 days, or until comfortable.
If the pain is more severe and does not go away after rinsing, you can use a pain reliever (such as you would use for a headache or sore muscle). It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen up and become used to the braces. We will give you some wax that you can put over the braces to lessen the tenderness.
Loose Teeth
If your teeth begin feeling a little loose, don't worry; this is normal! Your braces must first loosen your teeth to move them into the right position. Once your teeth have been repositioned, they will no longer be loose.
Loose Wires and Bands
Should a brace or wire become loose, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can check and repair your appliance. If any piece of your appliance comes off, be sure to save it and bring it to the office with you.
You can temporarily fix the loose wire by using the your fingers or the eraser end of a pencil to carefully and gently push the wire back into place. If the loose wire is causing irritation to your lips or cheeks, put wax or a wet cotton ball over the broken wire to relieve the discomfort.
Take Care of your Appliances
Loose or broken appliances can increase the length of your treatment time. Taking care to follow the diet and care instructions we have provided for you will help to insure your care progesses as smoothly and efficiently as possible. 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 with Braces
Game, Set, Match — we have great news for our athletes! You can participate in any sport you love while undergoing orthodontic treatment. In order to protect your smile during sports, we recommended that you wear a mouthguard that will protect your teeth and your appliances. Let us know if you need help finding the right mouthguard.
In case of a sports emergency, be sure to immediately check your mouth and appliance for damage. If you notice any loose teeth or appliance damage, please contact our office right away. You can temporarily relieve the discomfort by applying wax or rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater.