Getting braces is an exciting thing to do for yourself. The chance to finally align your teeth and improve your smile is enough to fill anyone with both anticipation and anxiety. When you tell your friends and relatives that you are about to get braces, you will surely hear a ton of horror stories about how uncomfortable and painful they are.
Although today’s braces are smaller and more comfortable than they were before, they can still be a little uncomfortable when first start wearing them. During your first few days with braces, you will need to do some adjustments and get used to the strange feeling of having pieces of metal in your mouth. You will feel sore at first and probably have a hard time eating solid food, but once you get through the first week, you will find yourself easing up to it and getting used to the feeling altogether. Soon enough, you won’t even notice the pieces of metal being there at all!
In order to have a bearable and more comfortable time with your braces, here are some tips you can do during the first few days:
1. Be Careful What You Eat
Since our teeth are the main tool we use for eating, it is best to know what to eat with braces during the first week. Right after getting your braces, it is absolutely okay to eat, but you will have to stick to mostly soft foods for the first week while your teeth and mouth adjust. You can eat pasta, bread, soup, pudding, soft vegetables, and the like. Wait for about three to four days for your mouth to adjust and for the soreness to go away before starting to eat solid food again.
Even though it is recommended to eat soft food, you must still be mindful of what you eat. Chewing gum with sugar in it can cause damage to your teeth and braces, so you must steer clear from it.
2. Stock Up with Braces-Friendly Food
Since you are only allowed to eat soft food during your first few days with braces, you will need to prepare your pantry ahead of time. Pay a visit to your local grocery store and stock up on mashed potatoes, ice cream, yogurt, and other soft foods. You should also buy cold drinks to help numb your mouth and reduce any pain or swelling.
Keep in mind that, since your teeth and gums are very sensitive during the first week, you should be mindful not to bite directly into even healthy food such as apples, carrots, and corn. Cut your food into bite size pieces and chew it with your back teeth.
Here are some of the most recommended foods you can eat with braces:
- Bread and pancakes
- Pasta, rice, and noodles
- Steamed vegetables
- Cheese
- Ice cream
- Soup
- Ripe Fruits
- Cooked fish
- Tofu
- Pudding
- Egg
- Cold drinks
3. Always Rinse Your Mouth with Salt Water
Wearing braces can really be an uncomfortable experience. There will be irritation and pain in your mouth. This is due to the wires and brackets attached to your teeth. After the first week of wearing your braces, your mouth will toughen up and the wires won’t bother you anymore.
You must be wondering how to relieve orthodontic pain? Well, it is pretty easy to get rid of the irritation. What you need to do is rinse your mouth with warm salt water about six times a day for 30 to 45 seconds at a time. To create the solution, simply mix one teaspoon of salt to a cup of water. This will relieve the pain by helping your sore gums heal faster.
4. Brush Your Teeth the Right Way
After getting your braces, it is going to feel strange to floss or brush your teeth. Just like with eating, you will surely get used to it. However, since you will have to brush your teeth with brackets and wires now, you need these tips for brushing teeth with braces:
- Brush your teeth three times a day, for three minutes at a time. Do this when you wake up, after each meal, and before going to bed. If you are not at home and cannot brush your teeth after every meal, you can simply rinse your mouth after eating and brush thoroughly when you get home.
- Use the right toothbrush that can clean your teeth with moderate pressure. A soft-bristled toothbrush is perfect for teeth with braces. Make sure to brush the top and bottom of your brackets and gums to ensure that every surface is clean.
- Floss daily. Since your toothbrush will not be able to reach all of the corners of your mouth, you will need to use an orthodontic floss to finish the process. Make sure to go in between your teeth and floss all the way up to your gums.
- You can use dental tools such as inter proximal brushes to be able to brush under the brackets and wires between your teeth. This will make sure that no food remains between your teeth and will keep your mouth clean and healthy.
5. Practice Good Hygiene
The most important thing you can do to make your first few days with braces as comfortable as possible is simply to practice good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth after every meal, make sure that you remove all the food stuck to your brackets, and floss regularly. Follow all of your orthodontist’s advice and instructions for keeping your teeth clean and healthy to make sure that you don’t encounter any oral health problems in the long run. If you are looking for the right dental clinic to get your braces done, you can visit Sunrise Dentistry. We offer the best holistic dentistry in Durango, CO, so you can rest assured that all your dental and oral needs will be taken care of by an expert. Contact us now!
