Braces and food...

[LadyVenom]

So I'm getting braces on wednesday, after waiting 18 years to get them. My question is.... has anyone drastically changed their eating habits while they had braces? I'm not going to be able to eat most of my favourite foods for a long, long, LONG time, and I already HATE anything that isn't crunchy or chewy.

I was thinking that I'd have to start drinking protein shakes since I won't be able to eat most kinds of meat, and there's no way I'll eat tofu instead.

Any suggestions on easy stuff to eat? Or any supplements I could take that would make sure I stay healthy?

Oh yeah.... I can't swallow pills so they have to be dumbass-friendly.

[88CRX]

you can still eat anything basicly. just gotta take some time after to clean all the mess out.

[EK 2.0]

Originally posted by 88CRX
you can still eat anything basicly. just gotta take some time after to clean all the mess out.


that and the pain after you get them tightened/adjusted of eating ANYTHING aside from warm jell-o...

Other than that stay away from gummy bears...

[CivicDXR]

^^ yup, what he said... when I had them on, I could eat anything I ate before that... only problem is your teeth are a little bit sore and sensitive after they tighten things down every month or so... it'll be a bit painful to eat in those 2-3 days... hope this doesn't scare you or anything, just telling the truth...

[Khyron]

Avoid sticky stuff like toffee, or really tough stuff like well done steak. The braces are just glued on, and you can tear them off. If you do, it costs money to put them back, and delays your treatment by months. Bread is fine, but just gross as it takes forever to get out. If your braces are falling off eating things like hamburgers, ginger beef, rice, french fries, etc then you need a new ortho.

Khyron

[LadyVenom]

I'm soooooo not looking forward to having to clean the guk out all the time.

[EK 2.0]

Originally posted by LadyVenom
I'm soooooo not looking forward to having to clean the guk out all the time.


meh...just throw all your meals into a blender and you will be fine...haha

[Chester]

Originally posted by LadyVenom
I'm soooooo not looking forward to having to clean the guk out all the time.

Then don't clean it out, save it for later when your hungry. Thats what I did when I had braces.:rofl:

[hockeybronx]

I'll be getting braces in a just a little bit here... shortly after they pry my 4 wisdom teeth out of my mouth:banghead:

And a little bit later they'll be taking out 4 more teeth.

I'm pretty sure milk will become my new best friend... maybe about 3 litres a day:drool: ...:bigpimp:

[GC84ever]

I remember when I had them.
I wasn't able to chew gum ( the reason I can't blow bubbles even to this day :cry: ), I had to cut the corn curnels (spelling?) off the cob, couldn't eat sticky stuff like toffee, was really annoying to clean. And my orthadontist was an A-hole. Don't worry the one I went to isn't in Calgary. But I think the next time I visit my home town I'm gonna egg his office :guns:

[GucciBoy]

Originally posted by LadyVenom
So I'm getting braces on wednesday, after waiting 18 years to get them. My question is.... has anyone drastically changed their eating habits while they had braces?

I had braces back in high school for the grand total of 3yrs and another year on retainers making it four. My eating habits stayed the same, you just have to eat with extra caution. That means when you eat stuff like say a burger, what I would do is cut the burger and bite into it slowly and more tenderly so I dont rip out a bracket. I had this happen a few times when I first got them in, and trust me...nothing worse than having to go back to the dentist - another trip since you'll have to see him on a monthly basis anyways, and get a new bracket made and glued back on, having the wonderful taste and smell with you all day. Plus the cement stuff, urgh. Just be careful and dont rush when eating. Over time, you're brackets will be able to withstand more abuse.



I'm not going to be able to eat most of my favourite foods for a long, long, LONG time, and I already HATE anything that isn't crunchy or chewy.

This is not true. It depends on the person obviously. Its just more maintenance working around it and cleaning the teeth/brackets etc. Avoid hard candies, sticky stuff, unless you want to clean it out after. Getting caramel sauce out of a bracket is not fun.


I was thinking that I'd have to start drinking protein shakes since I won't be able to eat most kinds of meat, and there's no way I'll eat tofu instead.

Again, dont worry you'll be fine. Plus tofu is good for you! Its all how you cook it! :)


Any suggestions on easy stuff to eat? Or any supplements I could take that would make sure I stay healthy?

The first month, if not couple you will feel very very tender and your gums will be very sensitive. Eat soft stuff, easy to chew. For the first week I was on soup and water - since my jaw was hurting so bad. I say the first 6 months if not year will be painful - especially the first couple months, it is not fun times. I did not like having getting them re-tightened on a monthly basis, only after my gums started feeling better. But thats how it is.[/QUOTE]

[GucciBoy]

Originally posted by LadyVenom
I'm soooooo not looking forward to having to clean the guk out all the time.

Go to your drug store (or your dentist might even have some), and ask for the special toothbrush kit for braces...it should come in 3 sizes, you will need 3 trust me! Its like screws, sometimes its just too hard to get out, so you need a certain size. They're cheap too, like $7 a kit I think, and they last a couple months. Thats what I disliked most about braces, you simply cannot use floss, and stuck with the tiny brushes.

How I brushed when I had them was...brush along every tooth and inbetween starting with the front, then work your way to the back, do the inner layer...just like you would with floss. But obviously it will take some time getting used to, and it is a bit more time consuming than whipping out floss. You have to be sure to do a really good job with the tiny brushes as it is pretty much your substitute for floss.

Oh, and also remember after to gently rub against each front bracket with the brush, cause food will get stuck on there trust me.

[three.eighteen.]

-popcorn sucks...bigtime
-getting long stringy vegetables caught on the wiring and then trying to swallow is disgusting at the dinner table: you pretty much have to drool a lot and reach in and pull it out by hand while gagging
-meat and stuff is fine, just nothing stringy, sticky, pretty common sense stuff
-after a tightening, make sure the nurses clip your wires good
-that wax they give you is useless

[turbotrip]

ya u can eat practically anything u want without having to worry, and from what i remember, brushing ur teeth makes it feel kinda like the braces arent there...so i did a lot of brushing in that first week...also use the wax stuff or the inside of ur cheek will get all cut up

[BebeAphrodite]

Hhmm.. I've had my braces put on for a second time, the first time they were on for a year and a half and I had nearly the whole process that took about 4 years: seperators, expander, braces, positioner, and retainer. Didn't wear the retainer, a couple teeth moved, my smile was still pretty straight but it drove me nuts enough to get them put back on.

I've never changed my eating habits and I continually still eat sticky toffee, popcorn... everything, I still eat corn on the cob! I eat meats daily and I even eat the things they tell you not to eat.

As for the pain of the teeth, I used to cry myself to sleep when I was 14 because the braces cut up the insides of my mouth and the wax was useless.

And pain level for people vary - I never experienced pain when the braces were tightened, and as for breaking brackets/wire/braces it happened to me twice but the ortho got me right back in there immediately at no extra cost to me.

You'll be fine though and have a perfect smile at the end. Don't do what I did and stop wearing your retainer.

[GucciBoy]

Originally posted by BebeAphrodite
Hhmm.. I've had my braces put on for a second time, the first time they were on for a year and a half and I had nearly the whole process that took about 4 years: seperators, expander, braces, positioner, and retainer. Didn't wear the retainer, a couple teeth moved, my smile was still pretty straight but it drove me nuts enough to get them put back on.

Ah couldnt imagine two times the pain. :( I was very fortunate because when I had my retainer I was slacking off too much near the end and didnt have it in as much as I was suppose to, but I got away with it luckily.


I still eat corn on the cob!

I like taking it off with a knife even without braces, always hate getting that shit stuck in the teeth and floss it all out.


As for the pain of the teeth, I used to cry myself to sleep when I was 14 because the braces cut up the insides of my mouth and the wax was useless.

And pain level for people vary - I never experienced pain when the braces were tightened, and as for breaking brackets/wire/braces it happened to me twice but the ortho got me right back in there immediately at no extra cost to me.

Oh the pain is unbearable, nothing like it - braces make wisdom teeth and root canals sound like getting your thumb sucked on. Honestly - brutal shit, I had endless sleepless nights, crying myself to sleep.:(

For pain...

Braces








































Root Canal
Wisdom

[abyss]

I only had my braces on for a year, and I was only supposed to wear my retainer for a year, but I didn't and now my teeth are a bit crooked again. BAH, I think of how short a time that was I should've just done it. This is why you don't give kids braces cause they don't care. They're not crooked enough that I'm self consious about it though, so I guess it still worked out okay. I do remember that the wax is useless, and it tastes gross. I made a candle out of mine LOL.

[pr0]

I eat anything and have had very little issues. I stay away from fish though. Why? Because I don't like fish... that is all.

[LadyVenom]

So far, I haven't been able to chew anything at all, and have only eaten soup, pudding, applesauce, yogurt, and cream of wheat. It's not even that my teeth hurt, it's that the damn brackets are getting in the way of me opening and closing my mouth, and they are digging into my cheeks. I've gone through half a case of wax so far in 2 days, but I'm slowly getting used to it. Having food stuck around my teeth is gross though... I'm trying to avoid it.

[benyl]

you will learn to suck out the food.

The proxa brush is your friend for the first few months. Keep it in your pocket always.

The wax thing... that never goes away. I had braces for 3 years and I would get sore every once in a while near the end.

in the end, it is worth it.

[DC2]

after a couple of days with my braces they started to scratch on the back of my lips and they dug little holes.. that wax came in handy

[snowboard]

eating anything you wnat, who cares, just after you get em tightened its ichiban for three days

dont use the wax
or elese your cheeks wont get tough lol.

[BebeAphrodite]

Wooo hooo, after four tedious months, the braces are off!!
It's all big and white again. :D

[asp integra]

i still have mine (only for another month or so, yey) but i eat all the same stuff i used to eat before braces, theres no reason to change what u eat, u name it i eat it, just make sure to brush ur teeth and go the washroom after eating and wash ur mouth with water to get all the left over crap out, u dont have to chage any eating habits at all!

[Rockski]

Originally posted by benyl
you will learn to suck out the food.


you can blow it out too if you figure that one out, took some time but i got it:D , thank christ i only had my braces for 10 months.... what ever you do STAY AWAY FROM PANDA BARS... i ate one that we found and aged for a couple months (was laready 2 years past expiery) in exchange for a NES... 3 days after i got them on... i lost 4 brackets that day and 1 the next trying to open a beer bottle with my teeth

[badseed]

Make sure you stay away from corn on the cobb.:thumbsup: