Life with braces doesn’t have to significantly impact your lifestyle. However, it is very important  to take extra care of your braces during your entire orthodontic treatment. Your braces have  brackets, bands and wires that are all prone to damage from certain foods and habits. During  your treatment you should avoid sticky, chewy, hard and crunchy foods. You should also avoid  biting your nails, chewing on non-food items like pens and biting down on foods with your front  teeth (no more biting down into an apple or that juicy corn on the cob- sorry!). Luckily, there are  still plenty of friendly foods you can eat that won’t damage your braces! Try swapping bubble  gum for sugar free gum, swap your hard taco shell for a soft tortilla, your apple for apple slices  and hard candies for melt-in-your mouth chocolate. We know it feels like a lot at first, but you  will get used to your new food choices in no time! 

Here are some examples of foods to avoid during your orthodontic treatment: 

• Sticky Foods: tootsie rolls, laffy taffy, gummy bears, caramels, sugar gum, sticky candy bars,  suckers and fudge 
• Hard Foods: jolly ranchers, nuts, popcorn kernels, ice and mints 
• Chewy Foods: hard bread or bags, beef jerky and crispy pizza crust 
• Crunchy Foods: crunchy granola bars, tortilla chips, hard taco shells, hard crackers, hard  cookies 
• Foods Requiring Biting Into: raw carrots and veggies, apples, corn on the cob, and tough meat (you can still eat these foods, just be sure to cut them into small bite size pieces and carefully  chew them with your back teeth)  
• Habits to Avoid: nail biting, pen and pencil chewing, toothpick use and straw or plastic chewing

Good dental hygiene is crucial when you have braces. Your new hardware creates even more  nooks and crannies for food to get trapped in! Leftover food, bacteria and plaque can build up  around your brackets and leave you with stains, cavities and bad breath- which could detract  from your new beautiful smile! Getting your new braces is also a great time to upgrade to an  electric toothbrush with a little more cleaning power. Brushing your teeth for two full minutes,  twice per day is the goal. Listening to a two minute song while you brush can help you keep  track of how long you need to clean for. Brushing your teeth after you eat is ideal, but if you  aren’t near a toothbrush swishing with water to remove stuck food is a good alternative.  Flossing can be a little tricky to get used to with your new braces and wires. Our clinicians will  show you how to floss your teeth at your first appointment and get you set up with your  flossing options during your treatment. 

Common Discomfort from Braces  

As your teeth move during your orthodontic treatment you will probably notice some  tenderness and discomfort for a few days after your braces are placed and after adjustment  appointments. This is normal and shows that your braces are working and moving your teeth!  Your teeth may even feel a little loose or wiggly during your treatment. Some teeth, usually in  the front of the mouth, may be tender due to pressure, and may hurt a little more than the rest  of the teeth. Our orthodontists

Another common concern we hear from patients is that the braces feel like they stick out at  first. It is common for your lips, cheeks and tongue to feel irritated during the first few weeks.  This will get better with time as you get used to talking and eating with your braces. If your  braces are rubbing your cheeks or gums you can use orthodontic wax to cover the brackets  that are causing irritation. If you develop mouth sores a warm salt-water rinse can help treat  them and relieve some discomfort. 

Bailey Orthodontics recommends wearing a mouth guard while playing sports to avoid  potential injury and reduce discomfort during contact sports. This will also help protect your  teeth and your braces.  

Orthodontic Problems and Emergencies  

Visit our page to learn more about common orthodontic problems and ways to treat them at  home. In the event of an orthodontic emergency call our office anytime to be connected to our  on-call staff member who can help resolve your discomfort.