Foods You Can and Shouldn’t Eat If You Have Braces
Clear braces are a cosmetic alternative to the traditional metal braces that straighten teeth and correct bite problems. When inserted, clear braces drastically improve the teeth, although it takes days or weeks for you to adjust to the extra pressure on your teeth.
After getting a brace, among other precautions, something to take note of is to beware of certain foods, which you may need to give up eating because while wearing braces, they can become stuck in the braces and cause damage to them.
This article will point out the food you can and cannot eat with braces. Please book an appointment with us at USmile Orthodontics to get your clear braces.
How Do Braces Work?
Braces consist of a series of clear plastic removable aligners or trays that fit over the teeth. Treatment with invisible braces typically takes between 9 and 18 months, but it may be as little as 3–6 months for minor correction. In the first week following placement, you may get to feel some pain or irritation around your teeth and gums.
Foods To Eat After Getting A Brace.
Your mouth wouldn’t hurt following a braces insertion, but your mouth may become sensitive in the days after your appointment. That is often due to eating foods with a rougher texture, which could cause pain. On this premise, your Orthodontist will recommend that you only eat soft foods for the first few days after.
Foods that you can eat after a brace insertion include:
- Grains
- Seafood
- Soft fruits
- Scrambled eggs
- Oatmeal
- Cooked or soft vegetables
- Soft cheeses
- Mashed potatoes
- Yogurt
- Soups
- Moist desserts
- Pasta
It would help if you knew that teeth sensitivity after getting braces improves after a few days or at most the first week. After that, you’ll be able to return to your typical, healthy food diet.
What To Avoid Eating Right After Getting Braces?
After getting your braces, some foods are off-limits for the first few days. That is because these foods, although harmless and appearing safe, might not be ideal immediately after getting braces, as they can irritate your mouth, causing too much pressure and sensitivity.
These foods to be avoided right after getting braces to include:
- Ice cream
- Spicy foods
- Citrus foods
- Thick rolls or slices of bread
- Thicker cuts of meats
You’ll be able to eat these items once your teeth adjust to having braces.
What To Do If Wires Or Bands On Your Braces Come Loose
You’ll get to have routine appointments with your Orthodontist to adjust your braces. However, when you have braces on, other issues can occur between regular adjustments, like a loose or broken wire or band. They usually happen when or if you:
- Eat sticky or crunchy foods
- Pick at your braces
- Have an injury to your mouth
Suppose you notice any issues with your braces. In that case, we recommend that you make a prompt appointment with your Orthodontist because ignoring the damage or delaying a repair could potentially slow your treatment time.
Also, don’t pull or bend a broken wire or bracket, as you could cause even more damage. Instead, try to place a piece of wet cotton or orthodontic wax over the sharp edge until you’re able to see an orthodontist. This applies if you get traditional braces.
Protecting Your Braces.
Aside from adjusting your diet to protect and preserve the longevity of your newly acquired braces, it would help if you did some other things to protect them, let them serve their purposes, and provide the bright smile you desire. These things are not new, but it’s necessary for emphasis.
They include:
- Brushing and flossing every day.
- Wearing an Orthodontic mouthguard, especially if you play contact sports.
- Visiting your Orthodontist regularly for your routine checkups.
- Going immediately to see your dentist once you have any dental complaints.