Brackets or braces, as they are popularly called, are no longer limited to just teenage years. These days, even adults are going in for orthodontic accessories for teeth straightening and other such common dental concerns.
Wearing them too isn’t too uncomfortable at all; you can slowly get used to the new attachment to your teeth. However, it’s still a good idea to take proper care of them to keep them comfortable and last longer.
One such way you can ensure good care of your braces is by paying attention to what you eat. Again, while braces themselves may not impose dietary restrictions, you may want to avoid certain foods that can cause trouble. A visit to the best orthodontist in Glendale, Dr. Sahakyan, would further educate you on what to eat with braces on.
Foods to Avoid While Wearing Braces
Here’s a short list of what you can avoid eating for a few days after you get braces attached. Remember that this is only temporary and you’d get back to eating all your favorite foods in no time.
- Hard foods – You might be better off sticking to soft foods that don’t require much of chewing. It’s best to avoid nuts, chewy meats, licorice, hard bread, and raw vegetables, at least for the first few days.
- Whole chunks or slices – You may not be able to chew large pieces in one go as you did earlier. It’d help to cut up your food into small pieces. Also, prefer using my back teeth for chewing purposes.
- Chunky eats – Popcorn, chips, or even ice, as tempting as it may sound, is a no-no for some time. Consult your Glendale dentist on when it’d be best to resume these.
- Foods that stick – Caramels, chocolates, candy, gum, and all sugary foods tend to stick to the teeth and aren’t good for braces.
- Foods that need biting – You may find it difficult to bite into a cold cucumber, corn on the cob, apples, and carrots. Avoid them for some time.
- Chewing on inedible stuff – The dentist who fits braces at the Glendale office would suggest you avoid chewing on inedible things. This may include pens, pencils, and fingernails – some things which most of us find pleasure in chewing upon. This is because chewing on hard things like these may cause damage to the braces.
Most importantly, we need to understand why these restrictions are there. Suppose a brace gets damaged, it may come off loose, meaning it wouldn’t be attached to the tooth anymore. Loose or broken braces take time to fix. Besides that, the results expected may not be the same as those achieved earlier.
It is therefore important to take very good care of your braces, just like your natural teeth. These orthodontic appliances are for our convenience and require the utmost care. Let’s look at a few other ways how braces can be well taken care of.
How to Take Care of Your Braces?
The dentist at Smile Makeover LA in Glendale would advise you on specific instructions to follow while wearing braces. Besides foods to eat and avoid, there are some other points to remember as well. Brush and floss at least twice a day, even when you’re wearing braces. This is because your teeth and gums need to stay healthy and cavity-free during the course of the treatment.
Braces are a part of your dental structure once you have them on. Take good care of them to ensure proper oral hygiene.