Now that you have your braces, how do you take care of them?
Eating with Braces - Foods to Avoid
Kick those Bad Habits
Tips for Clear / Ceramic Braces
Certain foods may stain the elastics around the brackets. Curries, mustard, coffee and/or tea are all possible culprits for discolouration. Should this occur, you can give us a call to have the elastics replaced asap.
Soreness
When you first get your braces, you may notice that your teeth and mouth feel a little tender or sore. This is perfectly normal and temporary as your teeth get used to exercising! Some options to help manage the ache include: rinsing with salt water, sticking to a soft diet, taking an anti-inflammatory pain reliever (Ibuprofen or Advil).
It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become used to the braces. We will provide you with orthodontic wax that you can put over the braces to lessen the tenderness. If you need some wax, please let us know.
Loose Wires and Brackets
The wires and brackets on your braces can occasionally "break" or come loose. If this happens, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can check and repair your appliance. If any piece of your appliance dislodges, be sure to save it and bring it to your appointment.
Please Take Care of your Appliances!
Damaged appliances can increase the length of your treatment process, so be sure to take care of all your appliances. Your teeth and jaw can only move into their correct positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, headgear, retainer, or other appliances prescribed by your doctor.
Playing Sports with Braces
You can still play sports even while undergoing orthodontic treatment! If you do play sports, it's recommended that you wear a mouth guard to protect your teeth and your appliances. Let your doctor know if you need help finding the right mouthguard for the best protection.
In case of a sports emergency, be sure to immediately check your mouth and appliance for damage. If you notice any loose teeth or appliances, please contact our office or that of your general dentist right away.
Orthodontic Repairs
Protruding Wire:
Poking Wires:
Broken Bracket:
Expander/Appliance Dislodges:
Loose Chain or Missing Elastic:
Lost Retainer:
Ulcers and Cankers Sores:
If you have experienced a true dental trauma or accident after hours, please call your regular dentist or Ottawa Dental Emergency. Emergency Dental Clinic (613) 523-4185 (open 9 AM - 9 PM Monday-Sunday).
**Our Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 8AM - 4:30PM**
Eating with Braces - Foods to Avoid
- Sticky or chewy foods are a big no-no! (Caramels, taffy, gummy bears, skittles, etc.)
- Absolutely NO gum
- Hard foods (hard candies, lollipop, nuts, crusty breads, beef jerky...etc.)
- Popcorn is not a braces-friendly food!
- Some foods need to be cut up and chewed with your back teeth, instead of biting into with your front teeth (apples, carrots, celery, bagels, pizza crust, corn on the cob, chicken wings, sticky ribs, etc.)
- For general dental health, avoid sugary/acidic drinks (soda, grapefruit juice, sports drinks)
Kick those Bad Habits
- Nail biting
- Pen chewing
- Crunching on ice
- Picking at brackets and wires (hands in mouth)
Tips for Clear / Ceramic Braces
Certain foods may stain the elastics around the brackets. Curries, mustard, coffee and/or tea are all possible culprits for discolouration. Should this occur, you can give us a call to have the elastics replaced asap.
Soreness
When you first get your braces, you may notice that your teeth and mouth feel a little tender or sore. This is perfectly normal and temporary as your teeth get used to exercising! Some options to help manage the ache include: rinsing with salt water, sticking to a soft diet, taking an anti-inflammatory pain reliever (Ibuprofen or Advil).
It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become used to the braces. We will provide you with orthodontic wax that you can put over the braces to lessen the tenderness. If you need some wax, please let us know.
Loose Wires and Brackets
The wires and brackets on your braces can occasionally "break" or come loose. If this happens, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can check and repair your appliance. If any piece of your appliance dislodges, be sure to save it and bring it to your appointment.
Please Take Care of your Appliances!
Damaged appliances can increase the length of your treatment process, so be sure to take care of all your appliances. Your teeth and jaw can only move into their correct positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, headgear, retainer, or other appliances prescribed by your doctor.
Playing Sports with Braces
You can still play sports even while undergoing orthodontic treatment! If you do play sports, it's recommended that you wear a mouth guard to protect your teeth and your appliances. Let your doctor know if you need help finding the right mouthguard for the best protection.
In case of a sports emergency, be sure to immediately check your mouth and appliance for damage. If you notice any loose teeth or appliances, please contact our office or that of your general dentist right away.
Orthodontic Repairs
Protruding Wire:
- You can clip long wires with nail clippers (carefully!)
- (In a pinch: use a piece of a pencil eraser/ plastic earring backing on the end of the wire to alleviate discomfort instead of the wax!)
- If the wire it not irritating your tissues, it can be clipped at your next regular visit
Poking Wires:
- Use a pencil eraser or Q-tip to tuck in any small poking wires.
- If a wire is poking but is too small to clip, use orthodontic wax: dry the area; roll up a piece of wax into a ball; place the wax on the area of the poking wire. The wax will smooth out the area and keep your cheek/lip from getting caught on any edges.
Broken Bracket:
- The bracket (brace) will be sliding on or off the wire.
- Call to schedule an appointment to have the bracket fixed to prevent the tooth in question from becoming crooked again.
- If the breakage occurs during closed office hours, the repair can usually wait a few days until you can schedule a visit with us.
Expander/Appliance Dislodges:
- Stop activating the appliance!
- Push it back into place and eat soft foods until it can be repaired.
- Please call our office to schedule a repair appointment as soon as possible.
- If the expander comes out completely, please bring it to your appointment.
Loose Chain or Missing Elastic:
- Please call our office to determine whether you need to come in before your regularly scheduled appointment (as this can sometimes wait until the next appointment to be replaced).
Lost Retainer:
- Call our office immediately to have the retainer replaced before your teeth have the opportunity to shift.
Ulcers and Cankers Sores:
- Rinse with warm salt water to clean away bacteria and help heal.
- Avoid hot or spicy foods
- Use wax to smooth any rough surfaces near the sore
- Know that canker sores usually take 7-10 days to heal fully.
If you have experienced a true dental trauma or accident after hours, please call your regular dentist or Ottawa Dental Emergency. Emergency Dental Clinic (613) 523-4185 (open 9 AM - 9 PM Monday-Sunday).
**Our Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 8AM - 4:30PM**