Day-to-day Living with Braces
Congratulations! You have your braces on now! That’s a big change in your life, and… you’re not sure how you are supposed to feel, or what your friends are going to say, or how is it going to be living every day with a wire around your teeth. Don’t worry! You’re not alone! In fact, by this time (if you are a teenager) most of your friends already have braces, or will have pretty soon. Besides, they are not as bad as everybody think. You can a live a normal life with a few adjustments of course.
Adjust your food habits and let us adjust your braces. The biggest changes that you will probably do in your life at this point are to cut your food in small pieces and give up popcorn and chewing gum. I know, it seems like a pain now, but trust me, you will save your “Make Comfy” visits to see Dr. Kaplin and by chewing slowly and having small bites your stomach will thank you for that. So, by doing that you are only doing yourself a favor.
What can I eat? Should I really avoid the foods on my orthodontist’s “don’t eat” list?
It is best to eat only soft foods that are easy to chew. Do not take big mouthfuls. Chew carefully and slowly so that you don’t gag or choke. Avoid stringy foods like melted cheese that forms big strings, and long stringy pasta — they will get stuck in your brackets and may cause you to gag. Cut your food into small pieces. No biting into large sandwiches — use a knife and fork until you get the hang of wearing braces! For better results you should avoid gummy sticky foods (like Gummy Bears), and very hard foods (like nuts or hard chips). But it can also include things like ice cream and popcorn. Why? Because many flavors of ice cream can include hard chunks. The unpopped shell of popcorn can get stuck in your brackets. Biting into any hard food might cause your brackets to break or your wires to bend, so you must be careful. For more info about eating instructions during braces click here!
Now that you learned how to adjust your food habits, we will adjust the braces for you.
So what is an adjustment and how is it done?
In a nutshell, the elastic ligatures are changed, and sometimes the arch wire is also changed.
There are two good parts about these visits:
1. It only takes 10 – 15 minutes to adjust the braces
2. You can pick whatever colors your heart desires for the circles.
In the next paragraphs some of your biggest concerns will be answered about braces:
Do I really need to brush my teeth after every meal when I’m wearing braces? What a pain!
Yes and no. Yes, you should, because depending on what you eat, food gets stuck in and around the brackets. Besides looking gross, it causes tooth decay and bad breath. It also feels yucky. Some people can’t stand the feeling of food stuck in their brackets. You wouldn’t believe how much food can get stuck — often more than you’d imagine! However, if you let the brushing slide every so often, it’s not the end of the world. Just try to be as diligent as possible on a regular basis. At the very least, swish your mouth with water and try to pick out any food that is stuck in your brackets. It’s also a good idea to floss each night, or at least a few times per week. Sometimes food gets stuck between teeth and you don’t realize it until you floss it out.
How can I keep my braces clean after eating at a restaurant or traveling?
Most people who have braces carry a little dental kit to help them in such situations. A dental kit should contain a dental pick, some floss and floss threaders, a toothbrush, and some toothpaste. A travel cup is also a good idea.
How often should I get my teeth cleaned when I have braces?
Most dentists recommend that people get their teeth cleaned twice per year. For people with braces, this is especially important. Even if you brush and floss very well, a professional cleaning will ensure that you don’t develop decay. When you have braces, you should consider getting one or two extra cleanings per year. They do not take off your arch wires or brackets to do a cleaning.
Now that you passed braces 101, look for our next blog. We’ll have more useful tips on how to deal with pain and sores and more.
