| |
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.
- 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.
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!
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.
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 archwire. 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.
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.
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.
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 loosened or the appliances damaged,
phone at once for an appointment. In the meantime, treat
your discomfort as you would treat any general soreness.
|
