Now that you have braces, here are some general tips to help you take care of them and yourself:
Soreness
It is not uncommon for your teeth to feel tender or sore after first getting braces. We suggest taking acetaminophen (Tylenol®, for example) for this soreness, as other pain relievers such as aspirin and ibuprofen slow down tooth movement. However, you may take a dose of Tylenol and a dose of Advil together for the first day or two – this should be more than enough to relieve any discomfort. After the first few days, though, you should switch to Tylenol, and only as needed. After roughly four days, you should notice your discomfort decreasing every day until you feel completely normal again, roughly a week or two after first getting braces.
Loose Brackets
Brackets may sometimes come loose from teeth during treatment. This is easily fixed – simply call us and schedule an appointment for us to reattach the bracket. If brackets come loose regularly during the length of your treatment, however, it may indicate that you need to pay more attention to the foods you are eating, or the activities you are engaging in (at least without a proper mouth guard).
Loose Teeth
Once treatment has begun, you may experience a feeling of looseness in some or all of your teeth. Don’t panic – this is a normal part of the orthodontic process and your teeth are in no danger. Once your teeth are in the right position, they’ll no longer feel loose.
Foods to Avoid
Even though the adhesive between your tooth and braces won’t be entirely set for 24 hours, you are able to eat as soon as you leave our office. However, there are some foods you should avoid not just in the first day with braces, but through your entire treatment. For the most part, common sense will tell you what to avoid. Hard foods, sticky foods and foods high in sugar must be avoided. Hard foods can break or damage wires and brackets. Sticky foods can get caught between brackets and wires. Minimize sugary foods; they cause tooth decay and related problems. Nail biting, pencil and pen chewing and chewing on foreign objects should be avoided.
Playing Sports with Braces
We have good news: you can play your favorite sports while in braces! Be sure to wear a mouth guard while playing sports so that your teeth and your braces are protected. If you need advice on finding the appropriate mouthguard, contact our office.