My Daughter is Getting Braces

[RosieRosie]

next week and the week after.

What foods will she not be able to eat anymore?

How will she floss?

 

[becka]

Sticky foods (gum, taffy), hard candies and hard raw vegtables like carrots will all be forbidden. My orthodontist also recommended I avoid all dark sodas, tortilla chips and nuts.

As for flossing you use a floss guide to help you get the floss underneath the wires. It seems a little strange at first but you get used to it quickly. The orthodontist should spend plenty of time with your daughter explaining the care of her teeth and care of the braces.

Her mouth will be quite sore for a few days after getting the braces on and then again after each tightening. Make sure you have some orthodontic wax on hand to help with the first few days and have her take some kind of pain med like Tylenol about an hour before her appointments.

I hope that she has a good experience. I waited until I was 25 to get my braces on so at least she is getting in done earlier.

 

[nancy679]

Popcorn is also out

 

[doxdogy]

If memory serves me right, apples were off the list too. Also, a waterpik is good for getting to the places that a toothbrush would miss.

 

[Bildmouse]

My DD was told not to eat all those sticky foods, gum, popcorn but she never gave up any of it and never had a problem. She was careful when she ate the blacklisted foods and never broke a wire.

 

[Jingle]

Of course, I went home from getting my braces and ate chips and dip. But, that was a LONG time ago. But, I know I didn't chew gum, eat corn on the cob, apples, or anything that I had to bite into with my front teeth. Just remember, broken wires can be fixed.

 

[BabyLove99]

I had braces for a long time, got them off about a month ago. I ate whatever I wanted and chewed gum. My teeth were fine.

 

[supercarrie]

I have braces now, and eat whatever I want, including popcorn, even though the orthodontist has said not to. As long as she brushes very well after eating popcorn, etc and generally keeps her dental hygiene up, she should be fine. When I first got them on, I couldn't eat anything other than soft foods for the first few days, and it is the same way whenever I get them tightened.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

you've got the list of "forbidden" foods. my dd also has to cut pizza into bite-sized pieces and break bagels into bites too. she's broken a number of wires and brackets. each time you break something, you extend the length of time you need to wear the braces.

for the first day or so after she gets her wires tightened she sticks with pasta and stuff like that.

 

[kecall]

My DD got them on about 2 months ago, so we are right in the middle of all of this....Everyone else has given you the "official" list, but our orthodontist explained that the sweet fizz of sodas does a number on the "glue" that makes the brackets adhere to the teeth. There was a boy there that had 2 loose brackets because of the number of sodas he drank. The ortho. advised my daughter to be conscientious to brush her teeth as soon as possible after drinking them. That would help a lot.....

 

[mrsmick]

My daughter got her braces off yesterday, and just in time--tomorrow(well, actually today since its 1:30 Friday morning) is school picture day.
She pretty much ate what she wanted, popcorn didn't bother her at all, she chewed gum alot, and she doesn't like caramel.
We are looking forward to lots of corn on the cob though.
After all this time of having braces, now her teeth look like they've grown larger. They haven't of course, they're just straight and pretty.
Best of luck to your girl. It will seem like forever to her, and you, but it will be so-o-o-o worth it.

 

[Colleen A.]

My son has had them for about a year now. What amazes me is the difference in them today compared to what I went through when I had them (way back in the 70's! ). Only the very first day he got them was Kirk in any kind of discomfort! He goes monthly to have them tightened and new colorful rubber bands attached to the brackets ( ) but he NEVER complains that they hurt! The braces had his teeth looking so much straighter in only a couple months! I was amazed!!! He also had a bite plate that took care of the overbite. He doesn't need to wear that anymore. I think we're only waiting for his eye and stomach teeth to come in and we should be about done!
He was told no hard pretzels, doritos, bubble gum (Freedent gum is fine!), pizza crust, hard candy...you get the picture! I agree with the water pik. It really helps to clean around the brackets and between the teeth!

Colleen

 

[glo]

My DD just had the tops put on, she gets the bottoms next week. She got this tiny special brush for between her braces, and had brushing instructions. She has been good about not eating the sticky foods... good luck to your DD!!!