Question about DD Braces

[coles1mom]

My DD gets her upper braces on 4/17 lowers on 6/21. Can you please tell me what she will not be able to eat such as popcorn, taffy etc. With Easter coming soon I would like to give her a last basket with junk she will not be able to eat for a couple of years, along with an IOU to be redeemed at end of metal years.
Thanks
Judi

 

[Kath2003]

Anything really chewy she won't be able to eat - so no toffee. Chocolate's fine. I ate pretty much whatever I wanted when I had braces.

Be aware that the first 48 hours will be VERY painful - stock up on painkillers and give her some before she has the fitting so they kick in by the time she's done. You might also want to think up some "soft" dinner options for the next few days since pressure on the teeth through chewing will be painful (think mashed potatoes, oatmeal, soup etc.).

 

[Hedy]

Gum! Popcorn! Hard Pretzels!
You might want to check with her ortho-I know my nephew got a magnet with a list of forbidden foods.

 

[Maude4Disney]

DS has really missed the popcorn, gum, gummies, things along those lines. Anything chewy, taffy etc. and nothing hard like jaw breakers and things as far as the sweets go. Dr. also told us no hard chips like Doritos, watch out for things like steak that can be chewy. DS has broken so many brackets It makes me wonder what he's eating at school that I don't know about.

Yep, the first 48 hours will be painful and mashed potatoes, pudding and such were great the first full day. Good luck to her.

 

[coles1mom]

Thanks everyone We get the list on 4/17 so not much time to plan ahead. I heard the inside of the mouth also might get sore. Do they have anything for that?
Thanks so much,
Judi

 

[Kath2003]

Thanks everyone We get the list on 4/17 so not much time to plan ahead. I heard the inside of the mouth also might get sore. Do they have anything for that?
Thanks so much,
Judi

If the braces are rubbing, which they sometimes do, your dentist should be able to provide you with some wax. Dry the bracket as best you can and mold the wax around it - stops the rubbing and I got through packets of the stuff when I had braces. I'm British so I don't know what meds you have in the US but I used Anbesol to take the pain away if the brackets had rubbed at the gums too much before I got the wax on.

 

[TheGoofster]

My son just got his upper braces on a couple of weeks ago, and according to him he can't eat anything at all that he likes.
I will say this, though, he has hardly had any pain at all. I guess each person is different when it comes to reaction to braces. I had braces as a kid, and I was in massive pain (especially when they tightened the foolish things). Yet, even though he's in almost no pain, they are already starting to work. He had a loose looking wire the other day, so when we took him in the dentist just smiled and said that was great, that the braces are alreadys starting to move his teeth, and that's what caused the wire to come undone.

 

[Narnian_Princess]

Jellybeans and Starburst! I haven't had jellybeans in 2 years; I sure do miss them! I haven't had any problems with hard chips, but several friends have had brackets broken from them. But yeah, anything hard or chewy/sticky is off-limits.

 

[ziggystardust]

all those chewy things but also she won't be able to bite into things anymore like bagels. Of course she'll be able to rip them up and eat them. I still eat my pizza with a knife and fork a lot of the time out of habit. (I've had braces for about 9 1/2 yrs total in my life - I'm 26)

The biggest things I missed - candy apples, even though I only had these like once a year and choc. covered strawberries - I could technically eat them, but they weren't worth the mess

 

[coles1mom]

No jellybeans in the house for two years. Now I'm gonna cry Please don't tell me peanut butter is on the list too.
Thanks for the info, You guys are the best
Judi

 

[Nancy]

My kids list includes all of what was mentioned..Doritos was a surprise to me. (it says the coating becomes a hard ball in the mouth)

Plus hard taco shells are a no-no.

no pretzels, hard pizza crust, gum..the usual.

Mt daughters were pretty sore the first 2-3 days. Tylenol extra strengh worked to numb the pain and I bought them Oral Gel (yep, the baby stuff) to help a bit). My youngest had a lot of inner mouth soreness from rubbing...her upper lip actually swelled up it was so tender. The wax worked, but it was really just getting used to them. I also had them put heat on their mouths (very warm washclothes) and that seemed to help too. We are just in our first month with both of them and they had uppers and lowers done the first day.

Diet consisted of spaghetti-os, soup, mashed potaoes, jello, pudding, yogurt, smoothies, and milkshakes for 3 days.

 

[Nancy]

No jellybeans in the house for two years. Now I'm gonna cry Please don't tell me peanut butter is on the list too.
Thanks for the info, You guys are the best
Judi

Here is our exact list.

Ice
Pizza crust
Hard pretzels
Doritos, taco, tostitos, cheetos and fritos
Caramel, gum, skittles, tootsie rolls, snickers, twizzlers, now and laters, fruit rollups, gummy bears
Hard rolls, bagels
Beef jerky, Slim Jims
Suckers
Nuts
Ribs and chicken wings (might bit a bone and break a wire)
Pens and pencils (for those that put them in their mouths)
Popcorn
Raw carrots (too hard)
Celery

 

[All American]

Ah, the Million Dollar Smile!

I had braces twice, and I always recommend going out to eat the day or two before and let the patient eat a big meal of whatever they want as others have said, her mouth is going to be VERY sore. Also, it's a nice farewell to the next couple of years and having to give up certain foods.

Good luck! It's a hard road but well worth the sacrifice.

 

[NCRedding]

DD got braces two weeks ago, and the ortho specifically said she could have popcorn, but nothing "Ooey, gooey, or sticky".

The first day wasn't too bad for her, but the next two days were more painful than she expected.

She has eaten microwave popcorn a couple of times since then with no problems. DH, on the other hand, just broke a tooth eating popcorn, but he insists on eating the half-popped ones with the hard kernels

 

[Narnian_Princess]

Here is our exact list.

Ice
Pizza crust
Hard pretzels
Doritos, taco, tostitos, cheetos and fritos
Caramel, gum, skittles, tootsie rolls, snickers, twizzlers, now and laters, fruit rollups, gummy bears
Hard rolls, bagels
Beef jerky, Slim Jims
Suckers
Nuts
Ribs and chicken wings (might bit a bone and break a wire)
Pens and pencils (for those that put them in their mouths)
Popcorn
Raw carrots (too hard)
Celery

I just realized that no matter how good I am, I am really naughty! I eat all those things that I put in bold! I haven't ever broken any brackets or anything though, but I guess it's because I know how to be careful.

 

[DaisyD]

No carbonated drinks! Our ortho said they are a no no though that didn't stop 16 y/o DS.

 

[luvdzne]

DD had hers put on almost a year ago. She has had no pain with them other than the first few days she got mouth sores from the Otho leaving a wire in the back a little too long. She never complains when they tighten them either. The braces he used were all metal and have little doors that they open when they tighten the wires. He said these braces cause little or no pain. So it depends on the braces they use.

As for the food she is not too eat she does stay pretty much away from anything chewy (although she will suck on taffy every now and then) but she has eaten popcorn, bagels, tacos, licorice. I told her if she breaks a wire from eating anything she is not suppose to she pays to get it fixed. Lucky for her she has had no problems.

 

[coles1mom]

Thank you All. I do thank you for all the info.
Sleep Well
Judi:

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

I had braces for 8 years and ate all of those things, I was careful though and my brackets must have been super glued on because they didnt want to come off,it took over a hour. I wont say anymore about that, dont want to scare you but it may have something to do with me eating all of the no no foods.
I couldnt eat much anything right after an adjustment though.
In a way I miss my braces, I loved getting cool rubber bands.