Life with Braces
Braces are excellent at dealing with crooked teeth, large spaces, or a misaligned bite, and are often used to correct teeth irregularities. But, now that you have them, you might not understand the best practices with regards to maintaining your braces, eating with braces, or managing soreness from braces.
There’s no cause for concern because it’s a common occurrence, yet it’s vital to understand how to take care of them during your treatment.
Eating With Braces
How do you eat with braces? Don’t worry because you’re not going to starve anytime soon! There are plenty of foods you can enjoy as you usually do, just with a bit of extra metal in your mouth. They include the likes of dairy and fruits and vegetables because they’re soft and comfortable to chew. Bread is also fine as long as it’s not too tough, such as tortillas. And, for those of you who love a cheat day, shakes and ice cream are perfectly acceptable as long as they don’t include nuts.
What Can’t You Eat?
Stay away from hard foods, as well as anything sticky, chewy, or that requires lots of biting. That means caramel and hard candies are out, as are bagels, popcorn, chips, and corn on the cob.
Soreness From Braces
Unfortunately, braces aren’t pain-free and you might suffer some discomfort. It’s perfectly normal and nothing to worry about, but it can be frustrating. Thankfully, there are tried and tested ways to manage the tenderness.
Salt Water
Take a teaspoon of salt and mix it with eight ounces of tepid water. Move the solution around your mouth, taking care to cover the areas that are the sorest. Don’t swallow the salt water as it doesn’t taste very nice!
Brace Wax
Wax is available to put over the braces. How does this help? The answer is by removing the friction that leads to the tenderness in your mouth. This is particularly useful if your tongue and lips are irritated.
Pain Reliever
The final option is pain-relieving medication. You should always consult your doctor beforehand and follow the guidelines on the packaging.
Maintaining Braces
Braces aren’t as durable as they appear, which is why it’s vital to follow the golden rules of life with braces. Firstly, you shouldn’t eat anything that isn’t on the ‘foods you can eat with braces list.’ Avoiding candies and tough foods isn’t only for your comfort – it stops hard materials from causing chips, cracks and breakages.
Anyone who likes to stay active can, but it’s wise to wear a mouthguard to protect your appliance and your pearly whites. If you notice any loose wires as a result of physical contact, or in general, you should call an orthodontist right away.
Failing to take care of your braces will cause the treatment to last longer than prescribed.
Things To Keep In Mind
Teeth might feel loose after wearing your braces for an extended period. However, this isn’t anything alarming. The way the treatment works is that it loosens your teeth first before it straightens them out and fixes them in place.
Do you want to learn more about life with braces? Then don’t hesitate to contact our office and ask one of our qualified and dedicated team members for advice today!