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Eating with Braces 
What can you eat? When braces are first placed, or after an orthodontic adjustment, your teeth will be sore when you chew. Stick to soft foods and consider meals such as soup, pasta, pancakes, eggs, macaroni and cheese, etc. After a few days, you'll be eating a pretty normal diet again.There are foods, however, that can damage your braces. Hard, sticky, chewy, or crunchy foods can bend your archwires or cause brackets and bands to come loose from your teeth. This can cause unwanted tooth movement and lengthen your treatment. Back to Top Foods to Avoid When braces are first placed, or after an orthodontic adjustment, your teeth will be sore when you chew. Stick to soft foods and consider meals such as soup, pasta, pancakes, eggs, macaroni & cheese, etc. After a few days, you’ll be eating a pretty normal diet again. There are foods, however, that can damage your braces. Hard, sticky, chewy, or crunchy foods can bend your archwires or cause brackets and bands to come loose from your teeth. This can cause unwanted tooth movement and lengthen your treatment. We ask you to avoid the following:
Back to Top Common Discomforts and Their Treatments: General Soreness 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. Eating warm soup or drinking hot liquids after an adjustment can reduce tooth tenderness. Tylenol, Advil, or whatever you normally take for headache will also help. Irritated Cheeks, Lips, or Tongue Brackets may irritate soft tissues initially until the tissues toughen (like your feet if you start to walk barefoot). We provide wax, which can be placed over the braces until the area heals. Orabase topical anesthetic gel can be applied directly on the sore to numb it and make it feel better. Rinsing with warm salt water can help relieve some of the discomfort. Loose 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 firm in their new, corrected positions. Cooperation 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 is also important to make and keep regular appointments with your orthodontist. Back to Top Brushing and Flossing It's more important than ever to brush after every meal 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 are at risk for cavities, stains (white marks called decalcification), and gum disease. Please see our patient care videos on our Videos and Morphing page of this website for instructions on oral hygiene. Back to Top Dental Cleanings and Checkups It is essential to see your family dentist at least twice a year for cleanings and exams, especially while you are wearing braces. Many patients (especially adults) should consider seeing their dentist 3 or 4 times a year. Please ask your dentist for his or her recommendation based on your dental history. Adults who have a history of gum disease should also see a periodontist during orthodontic treatment. Back to Top Playing a Musical Instrument While Wearing Braces When your braces go on, there will be an initial period of adjustment, as the braces do tend to irritate the lips. We provide clear vinyl covers (called Morgan Bumpers) that go over the brackets to help make the lips more comfortable. We provide these free of charge. Just let us know if you or your child is a musician. Back to Top Athletics If you play sports, it's important that you consult us for special precautions. A protective mouthguard is advised for playing contact sports. We provide mouthguards for our patients free of charge. In case of any accident involving the face, check your mouth and the appliances immediately. If teeth are loosened or the appliances damaged, phone us at once for an appointment. In the meantime, treat your discomfort as you would treat any general soreness. Back to Top Emergency Care Don't be alarmed if a wire or band comes loose. This happens occasionally. If a 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. Please see the Emergency Care page here on our web site for help with more specific problems that may arise. Also see our FAQ page for answers to common questions. If you need to call the office with an emergency or problem, it will be helpful to know the names of the parts of your appliances so you can identify what part is broken or out of place. See the Braces Diagram at the top of this section. Back to Top Retainer Instructions
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