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Life With Braces

Now that you have braces, how do you take care of them? It is very important for you to know how to properly take care of your braces throughout your orthodontic treatment.

Eating With Braces

You will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances.

Foods to avoid with Braces:

  • Chewy foods – bagels, licorice

  • Crunchy foods – popcorn, chips, ice

  • Sticky foods – caramel candies, chewing gum

  • Hard foods – nuts, hard candies

  • Foods that require biting into – corn on the cob, apples, carrots

Foods that you CAN eat with Braces:

  • 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, crabcakes

  • Vegetables – mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans

  • Fruits – applesauce, bananas, fruit juice

  • Treats – ice cream without nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, soft cakes

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Braces And Care

  • Always remember to brush your teeth after every meal and floss at least once a day.

  • Keep your retainer clean too, by brushing it gently with a toothbrush and toothpaste. You may also soak it in denture cleanser. Do not put retainer in boiling water or dishwasher.

  • During your treatment, try to avoid foods with a lot of sugar.

  • Be sure to schedule your routine checkups with your family dentist. With braces, food may be caught in places that your toothbrush can't reach. This causes bacteria to build up that can lead to cavities, gingivitis, and gum disease. Hence, it's even more important that you continue with dental cleanings every six months.

Emergency Care

When you first get your braces, your mouth and teeth feel a little tender or sore. This is perfectly normal. To relieve the pain, we recommend gargling with a solution of one teaspoon of salt in eight oz. of lukewarm water. If the pain is more severe, you can try taking a pain reliever. You can also put wax on the braces to lessen the tenderness. If any wires or bands come loose, please contact us soon, so that we can check and repair your appliance. Be sure to save any loose parts, and bring them to the office with you.

Feel free to call our office when you experience severe pain or have a painful appliance problem you can't take care of yourself. We will schedule an appointment at the earliest convenient time to resolve the problem.

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