| 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.
General Soreness
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 salt water
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!
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. The teeth will again become rigidly
fixed in their new – corrected – positions.
Loose
Wire or Band
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 bracket. 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.
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 as prescribed. Damaged appliances lengthen
the treatment time.
Brushing
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.
Athletics
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 your discomfort
as you
would treat any general soreness.
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