Congratulations! You are on your way to having an even more gorgeous smile! Not to mention, our amazing, kind, and talented orthodontic team will be helping you achieve your smile goals every step of the way.
Eating with Braces
Although most foods are still safe to eat, there are a few tasty snacks and treats that you may want to avoid. We recommended to avoid the following foods so they don’t cause a wire poke or a broken bracket.
Foods to avoid with braces:
- Chewy foods — bagels, licorice, caramel, granola bars, jerky
- Crunchy foods — popcorn, hard chips, ice
- Sticky foods — fruity candy chews, chewing gum, taffy
- Hard foods — nuts, hard candies, lollipops, pretzels
- Foods that require biting into — corn on the cob, apples, carrots
Examples of safe foods you can enjoy with braces include, but are not limited to:
- Dairy — soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks, yogurt
- Breads — soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins without nuts
- Grains — pasta, soft cooked rice
- Meats/poultry — soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats, boiled eggs
- Seafood — tuna, salmon, crab cakes
- Vegetables — mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans, cucumber, peppers
- Fruits — applesauce, bananas, peaches, strawberries, grapes
- Treats — ice cream, milkshakes, Jell-O, cake
Soreness caused from Braces & Appliances
It is normal for your teeth and mouth to be sore for the first few days after getting braces, or after your regularly scheduled adjustments to the appliances. Think of getting braces being the same as getting a new pair of leather shoes. It takes a few days to break them in, and blisters and sore areas are to be expected! No one is accustomed to having metal in their mouth! But, rest assured, you will get used to it, and the discomfort will go away. We recommend you use over the counter Tylenol and Advil to manage your discomfort. Please visit our First Aid page for more information on how to alleviate soreness.
Playing Sports with Braces
You are totally able to play sports while undergoing orthodontic treatment, and we encourage it! We do not think that orthodontic treatment should get in the way of your normal lifestyle. We recommend that you wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and your braces when you are playing contact sports. We recommend a loose-fitting mouthguard, similar to the fit of a ‘boil-and-bite’ before you boil and bite it. Ask us for one! We typically stock them in the clinic, and would be happy to provide you with one at no additional cost.
