Eating With Braces
Don’t worry — you’ll be eating popcorn and snacking on potato chips again in no time! But until then, protect those new appliances by avoiding foods that can damage them.
Foods to Avoid
- Chewy foods — bagels, licorice
- Crunchy foods — popcorn, chips, ice
- Sticky foods — caramel candies, chewing gum
- Hard foods — nuts, hard candies
- Foods you bite into — corn on the cob, apples, carrots
Foods You CAN Eat
- Dairy — soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks
- Breads — soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins without nuts
- Grains — pasta, soft-cooked rice
- Meats & poultry — soft-cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats
- Seafood — tuna, salmon, crab cakes
- Vegetables — mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans
- Fruits — applesauce, bananas, fruit juice
- Treats — ice cream without nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, soft cake
Soreness Is Normal (and Fixable)
Some soreness at first is completely normal. Dissolve one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of lukewarm water and swish and gargle for a couple of minutes (don’t swallow it). If pain is severe and persists, a pain reliever can help. Lips, cheeks, and tongue usually stay a bit irritated for one to two weeks while they toughen up — ask us for orthodontic wax anytime to ease tenderness.
Loose Teeth, Wires, and Bands
Teeth feeling a little loose? That’s normal! Braces must first loosen teeth to move them into position — once repositioned, they firm right back up.
If a wire or band comes loose, contact us right away and save any pieces that come off. In the meantime, the back of a spoon or a pencil eraser can gently push a poking wire back into place, and wax or a wet cotton ball over the sharp spot stops the irritation.
Take Care of Your Appliances
Damaged appliances can lengthen treatment, and teeth and jaws can only move into their correct positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, headgear, retainer, or other appliances your doctor prescribes.
Sports With Braces? Game On.
Great news for athletes — you can absolutely still play sports during orthodontic treatment! Just wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and appliance. If a sports emergency involves your mouth, check immediately for damage and contact us; wax or a warm saltwater rinse handles most temporary discomfort.
What IS an Orthodontic Emergency?
Contact us right away for: bleeding, severe swelling, mouth trauma, severe pain, or signs of infection.
- NOT an emergency: a loose or broken bracket
- NOT an emergency: a missing color tie
- NOT an emergency: a misplaced or poky wire (use your ortho wax until your next visit)
- NOT an emergency: running out of elastics
