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Eating With Braces
What can you eat? Almost anything. Although some patients are able to eat almost anything while in braces and have no ill effects, there are certain dietary habits that are known to cause breakage of orthodontic appliances as well as increase the risk of dental disease. Our aim is to achieve the treatment goals with as few disturbances as possible and minimize the side effects of poor diet choices. Remember, teeth move best in a healthy environment and in individuals with excellent overall health. Be sure you have a well-balanced diet from each of the four food groups.
Food and drinks which your dentist has suggested may cause dental caries should be restricted while wearing braces. Sticky foods are to be avoided because of the increased risk of dental decay and appliance breakage. These foods stick to your braces and remain on your teeth for long periods of time. If foods or drinks high in sugar are to be consumed, we advise having them with regular meals or at one given time of day. Please make sure that careful brushing and rinsing take place immediately afterward. Between meal snacks should be confined to foods without refined sugar and should be followed by vigorous rinsing if a toothbrush is not available.
Foods to avoid:
- Taffy and caramels — in fact any candy that is sticky or gummy.
- Foods high in sugar such as soda pop, sugar on cereal, icing on rolls or cakes, syrup, honey.
- Lemons — citric acid in lemons can dissolve tooth enamel if in contact for extended period of time. (so can the acids in soda pop!)
- Ice cubes
- Hard foods such as nuts, hard candy, crisp taco shells, French bread crusts.
Braces are attached to your teeth with an adhesive which normally will withstand the forces of eating. However, braces can be dislodged and wires bent or broken while eating certain foods. Some foods such as apples, raw carrots or celery are healthy snacks but must be cut into sections to avoid damaging your braces.
Chewing foods such as caramels and even thick bread crusts can bend and distort wires, causing treatment delays and extra visits for repairs.
Popcorn can cause harm in multiple ways. The husks from the popcorn can become lodged beneath the braces and cause irritation in the gum tissue. Unpopped kernels can shear or break off brackets as well as bend or dislodge wires. After eating, please inspect your braces for any foods which may have become caught on the braces or beneath the gums.
Remember, if you have any questions about dietary restrictions or good food choices, please ask!
General Sorenes
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 warm salt water. Dissolve one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of warm water and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take 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. We will show you how to use wax on the braces to lessen the irritation.
Diet ideas for sore teeth
Proteins
- Add cubes of cheddar cheese to bouillon or other hot soups. The cheese will melt so that it is easy to eat. Processed cheese works too, but it may turn the soup milky.
- Float several spoonfuls of cottage cheese in hot tomato soup.
- Add a well-beaten egg to boiling chicken bouillon. Skim off the foam. It tastes like Chinese restaurant egg flower soup.
- Scrambled eggs.
- Scrambled hamburger. Cook hamburger slowly over medium heat, stirring often to break it up into tiny pieces. Do not let the meat get too crispy.
- Sloppy Joes — always easy!
- Cheese soufflé. Try one! Even if it falls it still tastes great.
- Use a meat grinder, if you have one, for other meats. Add a little gravy, sauce or salad dressing.
Fruits
Fruit juices, one of the great joys of the orthodontic patient! How about a section in the freezer just for the one with the glistening smile? A variety of the little frozen juice cans: tangerine, nectarine, apple, grape, pineapple or grapefruit, will add interest and provide pleasure. Fresh fruits, so essential to good digestive habits, are great in the blender. Try this:
- Fresh, uncooked applesauce. Peel apples, cut into chunks, put in the blender with a little sugar and a dash of cinnamon.
- Fresh pineapple or watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, apricots, oranges — a mixture to create a South Pacific delight! A banana in the blender leaves something to be desired, so add that to a milkshake.
Frequently it is uncomfortable to bite or chew something very cold, with all that metal around the teeth. So take one cantaloupe or grapefruit out of the refrigerator the night before, in order to have it at room temperature when it touches those sensitive teeth at breakfast.
Vegetables
Sometimes cooked vegetables are easily eaten, but you may want to mash them up further with a fork. Salads are a real problem. Forget that idea about tearing up lettuce by hand, and go ahead and chop it finely with a knife. Tomatoes, creamed spinach, cooked squash and cauliflower are a little easier to eat than some other vegetables. When all else fails, remember the mashed potatoes and all your "a la king" recipes that go with them. Creamed tuna on mashed potatoes for dinner on the day after the orthodontic appointment will save you from imminent starvation.
Milk
The greatest, softest food ever invented. Milk: plain, flavored, in hot chocolate, milkshakes, cottage cheese, ice cream.
Lunches
We all know that whole wheat bread, bursting with those crunchy little kernels of grain are so nutritious. But just for a couple of days when eating hurts, break down and get some nice white bread. Deviled egg, deviled ham, tuna, chopped olive and sandwich spreads will probably not cause too much discomfort. Avoid bologna, lettuce, hard cheese, salami, roast beef or anything that really has to be chewed thoroughly.
Hot soup can be a lifesaver, and why not include a grilled cheese sandwich that can be dunked in the soup? Lots of bicycle knapsacks can easily hold a Thermos.
Canned snack containers with gelatin, puddings or soft canned fruits are a great invention. And applesauce has sustained many an orthodontic patient.
Loosening of Teeth
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.
Care of Appliances
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 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. Some patients 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.
Removable expander instructions
- Wear your expander all the time. That means all day and while sleeping.
- Remove your expander only to brush your teeth and to eat. Brush your expander at least twice a day with a toothbrush and toothpaste.
Fixed expander instructions
- Turn your expansion screws as instructed. Insert the key into the hole and turn toward the arrow.
- If you are unable to keep your scheduled appointment, stop turning the expander.
Orthodontic Emergencies
Direct injuries to the mouth and teeth
Following a direct injury to your mouth or teeth, whether undergoing orthodontic care or not, you should be seen by your regular dentist as soon as possible. Usually an x-ray of the involved tooth or teeth is needed to ascertain the extent of the injury. If a tooth has been knocked out, severely displaced or fractured, it is best to contact your family dentist first since we may not have the necessary materials to treat these injuries. If the appliance is dislodged or displaced, we will need to replace the appliances as soon as possible. Please call our office immediately after seeing your family dentist. If you are unable to reach your family dentist or an alternate facility, call our office and we will try to assist you. Please discuss potential emergency procedures with your family dentist.
Athletics
If you play sports, it is important that you consult us for special precautions. A protective mouthguard is advised for playing contact sports. In case of an accident involving the face, check your mouth and the appliances immediately. If teeth are loosened or the appliances damaged, phone your general dentist at once for an appointment and notify us immediately. In the meantime, treat your discomfort as you would treat any general soreness.
Emergencies related to orthodontic appliances
Appliances may be broken or disturbed from time to time during orthodontic care. If there is any disturbance, such as loose bands or broken or poking wires, call our office so we can evaluate the urgency of the problem and schedule you to be seen accordingly. It is important to know the names of the parts of your appliances. When you phone our office, it is helpful to be able to identify that part that is broken or out of place. In the interim, the following are helpful hints to remedy some of the problems you may encounter until you can be seen by our office.
- A loose band or bracket can generally be left in place until you are seen in our office. It is not an emergency! Your treatment has not stopped because one bracket has loosened. Call our office as soon as you notice a loose band or bracket so we can schedule you to be seen to reattach the loose appliance. In many cases, you can wait until your next scheduled appointment, but we must know ahead of time to be ready with the appropriate time and equipment. If you call and we are not in the office, leave a message so that we can discuss the schedule for repair with you.
- If a tie wire is irritating your mouth, cover it with beeswax or tuck it under the wire with a blunt instrument such as a pencil eraser or a Q-tip.
- A broken arch wire, or one that is irritating the gum or cheek tissue, needs to be seen as soon as possible for replacement or adjustment. Call the office. If we are not in, use the emergency number provided on the answering message.
- A bent headgear facebow or a removable appliance that is not fitting well is not to be worn until it can be adjusted in our office. Call the office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment to have the facebow or removable appliance adjusted. If you call and we are not in the office, leave a message so that we can schedule you to be seen.
After clinic hours
Clinical office days are Monday through Wednesday and emergency time is held open during each day so that we may schedule you as soon as possible during normal clinical hours. If you experience a dental emergency, call your general dentist. If the office is closed and you need to be seen after clinical hours for an orthodontic emergency, follow the instructions provided on our message at 206.682.1654. The emergency number provided is for your emergency paging service. When you call this number, be sure to say your full name and telephone number slowly and clearly so that you can be contacted.
Retention
Removing braces signals the start of the retention and observation period of your orthodontic care. Please remember that this part of your orthodontic treatment is just as important as the active movement phase in determining the ultimate success of your treatment. Once the teeth have been moved into their desired positions, a period of time is needed to stabilize the teeth so that the surrounding bone and soft tissues can conform to your new dental alignment. Your gums may be swollen, but they will return to normal with proper brushing and flossing. When braces are removed, it is a good time to review several important aspects of care.
How long are retainers worn?
The final observation and retention period of treatment normally spans two years. During this period, appointments are scheduled less and less frequently. In general, it is recommended that the retainers be worn twelve hours per day for the first four months after the braces are removed. This is followed by wear for eight hours per day (at night only) thereafter. Teeth are dynamic. The position and fit of teeth generally change throughout your life, with or without orthodontic treatment. The tongue and lip pressures, as well as grinding and clenching, tend to move teeth. Because of these factors, much of the stability depends on your situation. The lower front teeth are one of the most unstable areas. Each person's requirements differ and a longer period, or a different schedule may be recommended.
Retainer instructions
- Wear your retainers as the doctor instructs.
- Take your retainers out when eating. Keeping the retainer either in the mouth or in the retainer case will avoid loss or breakage that would lead to extra expense for replacement. Do not wrap them in tissues, napkins, etc. They will be inadvertently thrown away.
- Do not let your pet wear your retainer! Dogs love them. If your retainer is not in its case, it should be in your mouth.
- Keep your retainer clean. Brush it with cool water and toothpaste. Soaking it in a denture cleanser or mouthwash will keep it fresh. (However, Listerine may discolor your retainer.) Never place your retainer in hot water as it will be come distorted and require replacement. If a brush is not available after eating, rinse off your retainer and place it back in your mouth or in its case.
- Initially, you may find it difficult to speak. Practice speaking, reading or singing out loud to get used to them faster.
- Retainers are breakable, so handle them with care. Do not put it in your pocket. If your retainer is lost or broken, call our office. Although there is a charge for replacement or repair, it's a relatively inexpensive way to protect the investment you have made in your orthodontic care. Think of it as an insurance policy.
- Do not try to adjust your retainer yourself.
- Always bring your retainer to your appointment.
- Remove retainers while swimming.
- Keep them away from hot water, hot car dashboards, pockets, the washing machine and napkins.
A word about final records
We will be recommending a set of x-rays, photographs and models of your teeth soon after active treatment is completed. These will be used to evaluate your treatment, plan the retention period and evaluate space for your wisdom teeth if present. They also give us a record of your teeth's positions at the time of appliance removal. If there is some movement later on, that record will be a valuable tool in determining what approach to take to correct the problem. We will provide you with a before and after photo so you can compare the old and the new you.
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(206) 682-1654