Taking Care of Your Braces in Farmington Hills
How to Eat With Braces
How do you care for your braces now that you have them? It’s critical that you understand how to properly care for your braces throughout your orthodontic treatment.
Don’t worry, you’ll be back to eating popcorn and potato chips in no time! However, before you can start enjoying some of your favorite sweets, you’ll need to be careful not to eat anything that could harm your new equipment..
Some foods, such as chewy and sticky foods, crunchy foods, hard foods, and foods that require greater force to bite into, such as apples or corn on the cob, should be avoided at all costs. While your braces are in place, you can still consume dairy, breads, grains, meats, fish, fruits and vegetables, and even certain sweets! To avoid damaging your braces, avoid eating foods that are very tough or rigid.
How To Deal With Soreness and Pain
You may find that your teeth and mouth feel uncomfortable or sore when you first acquire braces. This is very natural, and we assure you that your mouth will not be uncomfortable indefinitely! We propose dissolving one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of hot water to ease pain. For a few minutes, swish and gargle this solution in your mouth (do not swallow the saltwater).
You can also take a pain medication if the discomfort is severe and does not go away after rinsing. Your lips, cheeks, and tongue may get sore for one to two weeks while they toughen and adjust to the braces. We’d be pleased to give you some wax to put on top of your braces to help relieve the discomfort. Please contact us if you require wax.
How To Live With Your Braces
Don’t panic if your teeth start to feel loose; this is quite natural! To move your teeth into the proper position, your braces must first release them. Your teeth will no longer be loose after they have been repositioned.
Your braces’ wires and bands may fall loose. Please call us as soon as possible if this occurs so that we can inspect and repair your appliance. If any part of your appliance comes loose, save it and bring it with you to the office.
You can temporarily fix the loose wire by gently pushing it back into place using the back of a spoon or the eraser end of a pencil. Put wax or a damp cotton ball on the broken wire to ease the pain if the loose wire is irritating your lips or cheeks.
Damaged appliances will lengthen your treatment time, so make sure to look after all of your appliances. Only by wearing the rubber bands, headgear, retainer, or other appliances suggested by your dentist can your teeth and jaw shift into their proper places.
Playing Sports With Your Braces
If you play sports, then we have good news for you! Even if you’re receiving orthodontic treatment, you can still participate in sports! If you do participate in sports, a mouthguard is recommended to protect your teeth and appliance. If you need assistance locating the correct mouthguard for the best protection, let your doctor know.
In the event of a sporting emergency, make sure to examine your mouth and appliance for damage very away. Please contact our office as soon as you notice any loose teeth or appliance damage. Applying wax or rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater will help reduce the pain briefly.