Brushing and Flossing
Dr. Guelff takes oral hygiene very seriously. It’s more important than ever to brush and floss regularly when you have braces, so the teeth and gums are healthy during orthodontic treatment. Patients who do not keep their teeth clean may require more frequent visits to the dentist for a professional cleaning. Adults who have a history of gum disease should also see a periodontist during orthodontic treatment. Dr. Guelff recommends that all orthodontic patients see their general dentist at least every six months. Watch the two videos below on the proper care of braces during orthodontic treatment.
Eating with Braces
What can you eat? Let’s talk about what you shouldn’t eat! For the first day or so, stick to soft foods. Avoid tough meats, hard breads, and raw vegetables. Before long, you’ll be able to bite a cucumber again. But you’ll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you’re wearing braces.
- Foods to Avoid
- Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice, pizza crust
- Crunchy foods: popcorn kernels, ice
- Sticky foods: caramels, gum, Skittles, Starburst
- Hard foods: nuts, candy, beef jerky
- Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots
Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer, and will require more frequent visits.
