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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.
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 saltwater 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!
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.
Don't be alarmed if a wire or band comes loose.
This happens occasionally. If wire protrudes and is irritating,
use a blunt instrument (back of spoon or the eraser end of a pencil)
and carefully, gently push the irritating wire under the archwire.
Simply get it out of the way. If irritation to the lips or mouth
continues, place wax or wet cotton on the wire 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.
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.
It's more important than ever to brush and floss regularly
when you have braces, so the teeth and gums are healthy 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 also see a periodontist
during orthodontic treatment.
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.
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