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 nuts and candy 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.
Examples of foods to avoid with braces
- Chewy foods — licorice, gummy candies
- Crunchy foods — popcorn kernels, ice, raw carrot
- Sticky foods — caramel candies, chewing gum
- Hard foods — nuts, hard candies
- Foods that require biting into — corn on the cob, apples, chicken wings - these foods should be cut up before eating
Soreness Caused from Braces and Appliances
When you first get your braces, you may notice that your teeth and mouth feel tender or sore. This is perfectly normal and we promise your mouth will not be sore forever! To relieve the pain, we recommend taking a pain reliever such as Tylenol® or Advil®.
It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks and tongue to become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become used to the braces. We would be happy to give you some wax that you can put over the braces to lessen the tenderness. If you need some wax, please let us know.
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.
Loose Bracket
If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. Discard the brace or band if it comes off completely. Do not worry if you swallow a braces or some wax - it is safe to ingest.
Loose Wire
Using a tweezer, try to put your wire back into place. If doing this and using wax doesn't help, you may try to use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened.
Poking Wire/Steel Ligature
Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.
Lost Turbo
It is ok to have only one turbo in place. Please call the office if both turbos come off or if having only one is unusually bothering you.
Space developing between your teeth
Do not worry, this is normal. You only need to call us if your next appointment is the one in which your braces are supposed to be removed.
Chin irritation with Headgear/Facemask
Placing moleskin in the chin cup often alleviates chin irritation. This can be purchased at most sporting stores and pharmacies.
Take Care of your Appliances
Damaged appliances can increase the length of your treatment process, so be sure to take care of all your appliances. Your teeth can only move into their correct positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, headgear, retainer or other appliances prescribed by your doctor.
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