Before you embark on the journey of braces, there are a few things you should be aware of. What type of braces should I get? How much time will it take? Are there any common complications and problems I should know of? What are the braces friendly foods?
All are good questions, and you should have the answer to these questions before you even start your treatment. Some answers may even defer you from the treatment altogether, and so you should be well informed before making a decision. Here, we attempt to answer at least one of these questions to put your mind at ease: What are the braces friendly foods?
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Are there any food restrictions with braces?
Some foods are generally bad for your teeth such as sweets and extra hard foods. These are even more damaging when braces are placed in your mouth. In general, you should steer clear of any food types that could cause harm to the braces or your teeth while wearing them. These include:
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Hard foods:
Such as nuts, chips, hard chocolate and hard fruits such as apples and pears.
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Sticky foods:
Such as caramel, toffee, gum or any other soft material that easily sticks to the teeth or the braces.
Why shouldn’t I eat these types of foods?
Hard foods apply a lot of pressure on both the teeth and the braces. The braces are attached to the surface of the teeth with a small amount of glue that is strong but very brittle. Any pressure on that glue will dislodge it and the bracket separates from the surface of the teeth. In addition, if you are wearing a more brittle form of braces (such as clear braces) the brackets themselves maybe broken by such force. In both cases, the bracket is rendered useless and will need to be reattached.
Sticky foods also present a double problem. First, they can stick to the surface of the bracket, pulling it away from the tooth and breaking the glue layer. Second, they get stuck between the teeth, and are impossible to clean.
So what are the braces friendly foods?
Don’t think of braces as a hinder to your food cravings. It is just a few food items to stay away from during the treatment period. Other than the types of foods mentioned above, you have free range to eat whatever you like. It is not really a question of what foods to eat with braces, but rather what – few – items to avoid.
What should I do to clean the braces well?
Conventional methods like the brush and traditional string floss just won’t cut it. So you have to adopt a more aggressive approach when it comes to cleaning with braces. An electric tooth brush improves oral hygiene greatly, and a water flosser works magic when cleaning between the teeth. In addition, a Fluoride containing mouth wash should be used regularly so even if the brush and floss don’t clean your teeth enough, the mouth wash is there to pick up the pieces.
So go ahead .. eat away, but be sure to clean thoroughly afterwards.