READY.SET.GRIN.
RECENT PATIENTS
TO EAT, OR NOT TO EAT: THAT IS THE QUESTION
For the first few days, your teeth will be adjusting to your new braces, so try to stick to soft foods that won’t damage or break your appliances. Try to get in the habit of cutting your food into tiny pieces and stick to items like those in the list below.
Soft Fruits – Grapefruits, kiwi, tangerines, applesauce
Vegetables – Steam helps them soften
Dairy Products – Ensure®, yogurt, cheese
Soft Meats – Tender chicken, turkey, meatloaf, lunch meat
Desserts – Pudding, applesauce, smoothies, ice cream, gelatin
Soft Grains – Cooked pasta, cooked rice, oatmeal
Soft Breads – Tortillas, biscuits, muffins, pancakes
Eggs – Another good alternative to tough meats
No No Foods
You can start snacking on your favorite potato chips after everything has settled in, but try to avoid hard foods that can cause your brackets to break or sticky foods that may get caught in your braces.
Avoid – Nuts, hard breads & pretzels, uncut fruits & vegetables, frozen candy bars, beef jerky, crunchy chips, hard tacos, meat on the bone, corn on the cob and bubble gum.
Do not – Bite your nails, chew ice, bite pencils or other objects or pick at your wires
Eliminate – Hard candy, caramels, soft, chewy candy, taffy, gummy bears, sticky candies
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR BRACES AREN’T BEHAVING:
Broken Wires:
· If you have a wire that breaks, or sticks out in the back of your mouth, check the wire at the brackets. You may find that the wire sticks too far out from one rear bracket and has become unattached from the opposite rear bracket. In that case, use tweezers to move the wire back into place so it doesn’t stick out on either side.
· If the wire sticks out on both sides, you can put special wax (provided by us when you get your braces) on each end of the wires to keep them from irritating your gums and mouth. Make sure that the wax covers rear brackets, so it stays in place until your appointment where we will clip the wires to the correct length.
· In very rare situations, the longer wire may be digging into your cheek- you can take care of it immediately by using a small wire cutter to snip the wire yourself. Be sure to see us ASAP so we can make sure the wire is correctly adjusted.
Loose Fixtures:
· If you have a loose bracket or band, put special wax (provided by us when you first get your braces) on the loose bracket to keep it from hurting the inside of your mouth.
· Second, you can remove the loose bracket and bring it to us for proper reattachment. Each bracket has a small door that holds it to the band. Simply open the door and the bracket will easily come off. You can then bring it to us for repair.
Pinching/Rubbing:
· When you get your braces, we supply you with specialized wax in case a bracket loosens or a wire moves out of place, poking
your mouth and gums. Apply the wax to lessen the irritation.
Pain Relief:
· For the first four or five days, you may feel soreness in your mouth as your braces adjust. Biting may cause some discomfort because your teeth will be tender. Both can be soothed by rinsing your mouth with warm salt water. If the discomfort is severe, try Tylenol® or a similar over-the-counter medication to alleviate any discomfort until your mouth fully adjusts.