Getting braces from a dentist near you is the initial step to getting your teeth properly aligned. However, there is more to the journey of correcting your bite than having the braces installed. The way you take care of your braces determines how well the treatment works, without needing to replace them. You must understand that the process of straightening your teeth is a crucial one. It not only involves the teeth but also the bone structure of your mouth.
Do braces affect your eating patterns?
Much as getting dental braces near Saskatoon excites you about a future with a better smile, you might not be smiling a lot when you have to be picky with foods. Usually, braces have brackets and wires that attach to the teeth. If you are careless about what you eat, the brackets and wires can be loosened due to chewing, or worse be damaged.
For the most part, it depends on the type of braces you have on. For removable braces, patients can eat almost anything, as long as they brush before putting them back on. However, this is not the case for traditional braces. Even so, your diets are not entirely limited to soft foods like soups, shakes, and smoothies. This is only true for the first few days after getting your braces at a dental clinic in Saskatoon.
What are the top foods to avoid with braces?
- Chewing gum
All the dentists in S7J 4M4 firmly detest gum chewing for patients with braces. Gum is very sticky and can easily stick on the brackets and wires of the braces. Getting rid of the gum from the braces is not easy or fun. Besides, most chewing gums are too sugary, which is not good for your dental care routine.
- Whole carrots and apples
The Lakeview dental office will agree with ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ phrase, but not so much when it comes to braces. Biting on whole carrots and apples can put a strain on the brackets and wires of your braces. Since these two are hard to chew on, you might damage the braces and loosen them. If you enjoy these types of fruits and vegetables, be sure to cut them up into small pieces before you eat them. Instead, cook your carrots and blend your apples to make them friendlier to your braces.
- Nuts
Nuts are some of the very hard foods in the world. Some types of nuts like peanuts and cashew nuts are loved by most people for snacking. However, outing your newly treated teeth on chewing hard pretzels is a terrible idea. Braces help shift your teeth into the correct direction to straighten them. Chewing on something hard can not only cause discomfort but also, break or loosen the braces and undermine your treatment.
- Candy
Candy is for one, a sugary type of food. Just that disqualifies candy from being a suitable food during dental care. With braces, the stakes are much higher. The sugar content in candies can quickly result in dental cavities, not to mention plaque buildup. Avoid such candies as toffee, caramel, and lollipops.
- Corn
If you are a lover of corn, this might not be great news for you. Corn is hard to chew on. Besides, the worst kind of corn when you have braces on is corn on a cob. Having to bite on the corn can compromise the stability of your braces. If you must have your corn, be sure it is not on a cob.
- Crunchy snacks
So many foods fall under the category of crunchy snacks, including chips and popcorns. The kernel in some of these snacks tends to stick in teeth and between them.
- Fizzy and acidic drinks
Other than water, the kind of drinks you take might greatly affect your treatment with braces. Sodas and juices are very stubborn when it comes to staining braces. Further, these drinks can cause tooth decay. Juices to avoid also include natural fruit juices.
- Bony meats
Meat lovers also have to adjust their eating habits once they have braces installed. Biting meat from bones can harm your braces. You can, however, opt for fillets instead of chicken wings and spare ribs. Besides, deboning the meat and cutting it into small pieces is always a viable option you can try.
