Today, there are various options to prevent dental diseases. Starting from aligning your teeth to noninvasive procedures for your gum line, you can trust a dental clinic to offer treatments. Why is it crucial to begin solving your dental problems? A bacterial infection in your mouth may cause health conditions that you weren’t expecting.
Moreover, a team offering orthodontics at a Gordon dental clinic explains that unmanaged malocclusion can start cavities or gum disease. So, if you want to align your crooked teeth and uneven bite, visit your orthodontist soon. If you also want to know what to eat with braces after your treatment, we have a few suggestions to start your first week and months after.
Why Should You Get Braces?
Are dental diseases caused by external factors only? As a first-time patient, you may not be aware of the causes of cavities, toothache, or gingivitis. Several foods and beverages create bacteria in our mouth. When people eat, the saliva that helps break down foods has a byproduct of acid that wears away dentin and enamel.
Bits and pieces of what we eat get stuck in teeth that aren’t straight. So, if you want to beat malocclusion and prevent diseases in the future, consider braces treatment for your child or you as an adult. According to dentists, tooth decay also starts from braces. Hence, it may be best not to neglect what to eat with braces.
5 Worst And Best Foods On What To Eat With Braces
If you recently got your braces, it is normal not to know what to eat with braces. You may have to limit yourself to your favorite meals to eat. Soft foods diet is good since you don’t chew often. Here are the five worst and best foods to eat with braces.
Worst
The worst type of food for a person’s mouth is sweets, sugary confections, and food full of carbohydrates. Not following your dentist’s instructions on what foods to avoid with braces can put your oral health in danger. Here is the list of what not to eat with braces after the first few days, weeks, or months.
- Candy And Chips
- Hard Or Crunchy Raw Vegetables
- Ice Cubes
- Meat From The Bone
- Unground Whole Wheat Grains Or Nuts
Your dentist discusses some foods not mentioned here. It would be best to be mindful of sticky, sugary, or foods with carbohydrates that encourage tartar or plaque buildup on your gum line.
Best
For new orthodontic patients wearing their braces for the first time, it is best to avoid any difficult food that will introduce aching when eating. Usually, dentists suggest to eat soup for a few weeks and slowly learn how to add meat, vegetables, or soft fruits. These are the top recommendations for what to eat with braces. You may also enjoy more of similar foods to eat with braces from your general dentist. Don’t forget, brushing, flossing, and rinsing are still important to help fight off gingivitis or periodontitis.
- Yogurt, Ice Cream, Eggs, Other Dairy Products
- Smoothies
- Soups Or Broth
- Lean, Tender Meat
- Tofu
Other Tips When Wearing Braces
There are other tips that a patient must know during their orthodontics treatment. Braces can be painful, so always take OTC pain relievers and prescription medicine from your dentist.
Dry mouth is also alarming as bacteria may still grow without water intake. Immensely, your saliva helps wash away cavities, plaque, and tartar buildup. So, please drink water every day to flush out toxins in your body.
Don’t forget to stay away from chewing or gnashing hard foods, pencils, or other hard items. You may find it easier to prevent toothaches or emergencies as you go through sessions of adjusting your wires and brackets from your orthodontist team.
How To Manage Your Orthodontic Appliances
Not all adults get braces to treat an uneven bite. Some older adults or seniors may need dentures due to their gum’s condition. Children younger than the requirement for braces may try looking for aligners as an alternative. Nevertheless, what to eat with braces isn’t just the best question to ask your dentist. A dentist can advise you on how to clean your orthodontic appliances properly. Paying for a broken wire or bracket is costly, but has health insurance coverage.
Clean Removable Dentures Or Aligners
Most orthodontic devices like dentures or aligners come in a tray or holder. Teens or adults can clean removable aligners with tap water or a dentistry solution and place it on a cup overnight. On the other hand, seniors may also remove food debris in dentures by brushing with soft bristles toothbrush.
It is impossible to remove metal braces when eating, so it is best to follow what to eat with braces according to our suggestions. For people wearing clear aligners like Invisalign, always soak your aligner in the unique crystal solution. Be careful not to brush your clear aligners as it may damage the orthodontic device further.
Use Specific Dental Products For Braces
Braces are unique for every patient, especially if their upper and lower teeth have different proportions. You can expect to get lingual, clear, traditional metal, or retainers to align your jaw and teeth. With this obstruction, though, a regular toothbrush isn’t the best option for your dental hygiene.
Patients can choose from oral water irrigators or floss, proxabrush, and other orthodontic care toothbrushes. Moreover, you can also use specific toothpaste that isn’t abrasive for your braces material.
Schedule An Appointment With Your Dentist Regularly
Regardless if you’re visiting your general dentist or your previous orthodontist or dental surgeon, don’t forget to consult about your braces. Regular appointments and checkups can detect early symptoms of tooth decay.
If you want to prevent tooth decay underneath your braces, visit a dentist for regular teeth cleaning. You can always trust your dentist to give you X-ray exams as soon as you notice bleeding, severe toothaches, or pain in your gums.