Being told by your dentist that you are going to have to wear braces for any period of time never comes as welcome news. Even if you are lucky enough to have the option of the highest quality invisible braces, it still represents an inconvenience you’d rather avoid. And for those new to the idea of braces in general, actually getting used to having them in your mouth can be a daunting process to say the least.
While it’s rare for braces these days to cause any kind of severe pain for those wearing them, they can nonetheless be rather uncomfortable during the first few weeks. Eating in particular has the potential to be a challenge – what with braces irritating your cheeks, your teeth slowly moving into a position you are not familiar with and the fact that chewing can be a little on the painful side.
It’s quite likely that your dentist will have advised you on the best electric toothbrush for braces and the best mouthwash when wearing braces, in order to help keep your mouth as healthy as possible. But when your teeth do not touch the way they previously did, you are forced to change the way you chew. And given the fact that your teeth will be constantly moving while wearing braces, you may find yourself having to adapt on a relatively regular basis.
On the plus side, the vast majority of people that have been fitted with braces find that difficulties with eating do not tend to last more than two or three weeks. Which means that if you can hold out for this long, chances are you will be fine. In the meantime, there are certain tips, tricks and guidelines from the experts that could help make things easier to cope with along the way.
Here’s a quick rundown of 8 simple tips for getting used to eating with braces:
1 – Slow Down
First of all, the single most important rule to follow when it comes to eating with braces is to slow things down. This includes not only chewing slowly, but also getting into the habit of taking much smaller pieces of food and chewing considerably more carefully than you normally would. Suffice to say, this is much easier to do if you do not sit down for meals when you are quite literally starving and hence more likely to wolf your dinner down at record-pace. Eating little and often at a much slower pace is a good idea when getting used to braces.
2 – Choose Soft Foods
Rest assured that the time will come soon enough when you are able to eat things like crisps and steaks once again with no real problems at all. In the meantime however, it’s definitely in your best interests to stay away from anything that isn’t nice and soft. It’s not as if you need to go nuclear and restrict yourself to nothing but baby food and soup. But at the same time, the softer the foods you eat are, the easier you will find it to eat them without causing any discomfort to your mouth.
3 – Herbs and Leaves
If you would prefer not to drive yourself crazy with a thousand and one bits and pieces stuck in your braces, think carefully about the kinds of foods that normally stick around in your teeth for too long anyway. Prime examples being things like parsley and spinach – even at the best of times and without braces, you may find yourself poking and prodding away at your teeth trying to remove every trace of them. Suffice to say therefore, the problem can be exponentially worse when you are dealing with braces, so you might want to give these foods a miss for the time being.
4 – Nuts and Seeds
On exactly the same note, there are certain foods that it is probably best for you to avoid for a while, for the simple reason that they are absolutely guaranteed to get stuck in and around your braces and drive you mad. It’s not as if you won’t be able to get rid of them when you brush, but this is most likely the only way you will be able to get rid of them. Which in turn means that if you are unlikely to be brushing your teeth for the next 6 to 8 hours, it probably isn’t a good idea to eat anything that’s going to be stuck in your mouth until then!
5 – Bite from the Side
It may be a tricky habit to get into and will probably feel a little strange at first, but it is nonetheless a good idea to try to train yourself to begin taking bites with the side of your mouth. This applies particularly to those with braces that are used to move the front teeth – a process during which it may become difficult or even impossible to bite down on anything at all from the front.
6 – Use Cutlery
One quick and easy tip that’s hugely effective is that of making the switch to a knife and fork to eat the kinds of foods you might usually eat with your fingers. From pizzas to wraps to burritos and even sandwiches, you are much more likely to eat slower if you use cutlery than if you were to shovel it all down using your hands.
7 – Treat Yourself to Ice Cream
While it’s not an excuse to go OTT with the unhealthy stuff, braces that make your mouth sore are nonetheless the perfect excuse to indulge in a few frozen treats of your choosing. The reason being that the cold may help to temporarily numb the discomfort you’re feeling, making it all that bit easier to cope with. That is of course, unless you already have sensitive teeth – in which case it might not work as planned!
8 – Ask Your Dentist
Last but not least, there are plenty of topical treatments and other remedies that can be used when getting used to braces to minimise discomfort and help heal sores. So if you find yourself in the kind of discomfort you really can’t cope with, be sure to ask your dentist for their advice and recommendations.
