All About Braces

Eating with Braces

After braces adjustments, it’s best to stick to soft foods. These appointments can cause the teeth and gums to be sore or tender. Avoid tougher foods like meats, bread, and raw vegetables. After your teeth are no longer sore there are still some foods that you should avoid because they commonly damage orthodontic appliances. Things that are chewy like bagels and licorice as well as crunchy food like popcorn and ice should be avoided. Also, sticky food and things like hard candy and nuts can cause damage. 

Chewing on hard things like pens, pencils, and fingernails can damage braces, causing treatment to take longer.

Brushing and Flossing

When you have braces or other orthodontic appliances in your mouth, good oral health is even more important than usual. Patients who don’t practice a good oral health routine could see faster rates of decay, more visits to the dentist, and longer treatment times. 

Adults who have a history of gum disease should also see a periodontist during treatment to prevent problems.

General Soreness

After adjustments or right after you first get braces, your gums and teeth can feel uncomfortable and sore for a few days. We recommend taking Tylenol or other pain relievers before your appointments and as needed afterward. Any irritation as a result of appliances can also be dealt with using orthodontic wax.  

Loosening of Teeth

Teeth frequently loosen noticeably during orthodontic treatment. This is normal, especially considering that the object of orthodontic treatment is for your teeth to move!

Loose Wire or Band

Between appointments, it’s possible that wires or brackets may become loose or fall out of your mouth. The first thing to do is call our office and schedule a time to repair the damaged appliance. In the meantime you can use orthodontic wax or wet cotton to ease any pain.  If a wire is irritating your lip or cheek, use a blunt instrument, such as the eraser end of a pencil, to carefully push the wire back under the archwire to get it out of the way. 

Rubber Band Wear

There are aspects of orthodontic treatment that heavily rely on patient compliance to be effective. The overall success of the treatment depends on the patient’s dedication. That is why it’s so important to ensure that you wear and change rubber bands as often as your orthodontist advises.

Schedule An Appointment Today!

The Dung Orthodontics team is passionate about giving our patients the best experience possible on their journey to a happy and healthy smile. We are dedicated to making your treatment quick and comfortable. 

If you have any questions about treatment, have a broken or loose appliance, or wish to begin treatment please contact us. One of our team members will be happy to assist you. We look forward to hearing from you!