Get the most out of your treatment.

There are some things you need to keep in mind when you are in orthodontic treatment. Here are a few…

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Eating with Braces

In the beginning, the foods you can eat will be limited. Stick to foods that are soft, fluffy, and easily mashed up.

For example, pancakes, oatmeal, bananas, soups, cooked vegetables, applesauce, mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, and soft ice cream are all safe choices. Avoid foods that are hard, crunchy, sticky, or tough.

Foods to Skip

  • Sticky – gum, caramel, toffee
  • Hard – ice, whole apples, carrots, and other raw vegetables
  • Crunchy – popcorn, hard chips
  • Tough – bagels, corn on the cob, steak, ribs

There are a few tricks to enjoy some of these foods. You can cook your vegetables to make them softer, cut your corn off the cob, and slice apples into bite-sized pieces.

If you’re in doubt about a particular food, just ask the doctor.

Loose Wire, Bracket, or Band

It’s pretty common for a bracket to loosen or a wire to pop out of place, so don’t worry if this happens.

If it’s a flexible wire, try pushing it back into place using tweezers or a pencil eraser. You may also try to clip it with small, sterilized wire cutters or manicure scissors. Apply wax for comfort and contact us as soon as possible to have it repaired.

General Soreness: Your mouth is going to feel a bit sore when your braces are first put on.

If a spot is rubbing or poking your mouth, you can use dental wax (available at our office or your local drugstore) to cover problem areas and prevent blisters.

Care of Appliances: Brushing and Flossing

It is always important to brush and floss your teeth to keep them clean and healthy – and with braces, it’s more important than ever. Consistent brushing and flossing will ensure that your whole mouth remains healthy throughout your time with braces.

Flossing with braces may seem difficult at first but is very important to keep your teeth healthy. To floss properly, you will need to thread the floss under the wire. This can be done in two ways – either by threading the floss through on your own or using a floss threader to get the floss under the wire.

When threading the floss, try to start by pushing the floss vertically downward from the top to the bottom on your upper teeth and upward from the bottom to the top on your bottom teeth, so you are threading away from your gums each time. Carefully floss around each tooth and gum, moving the floss up and down, just like you would do without braces.

You should also continue to see your dentist for cleanings and checkups throughout your orthodontic treatment.

Life with Braces

With braces, you can do pretty much everything you can do without braces – including playing musical instruments or sports. In the beginning, you may need to use wax to cover your front teeth for certain instruments and it may be wise to wear a mouth guard for certain sports. If you have any questions, feel free to ask the doctor.

Plainwell Office

352 12th Street Suite 1, Plainwell, MI 49080
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