My 12 yr old son had braces fitted top and bottom yesterday. We're all very nervous about him eating the wrong type of foods, or eating the wrong way with the braces if you know what I mean. Any advice, greatly appreciated please?
antoniab,
Jun 29, 9:04pm
It will just take a while to get used to ie know how to clean them with your tongue :) I remember the first thing I ate was a pie and all the pastry got stuck in my braces lol Avoid things that the orthodondist would have mentioned such as chewing gum and toffees. I broke mine on a peanut in a Peanut Slab so things like that can be tricky too. Slice up apples rather than biting them etc. Sandwiches are a mission at first as the bread gets stuck underthe wires but like I said you figure out how to 'suck' the food out off them pretty quickly.
cookessentials,
Jun 29, 9:17pm
That brings back memories of trying to eat with newly fitted "train tracks" Obviously, the softer the food, the better. Things like omelettes, risottos, soft meat casseroles as it is good for him to get chewing, although this can be uncomfortable as the teeth are moving. A good salt gargle will help shift any stubborn food from them and as far as brushing goes, you have to be slow and deliberat - it takes a while to get the hang of it without the bristles of your brush becoming entangled!
lizab,
Jun 29, 9:17pm
LOL thanks for that. The orthodontist gave us a couple of pieces of chewing gum with a leaflet that said if your teeth are sore in the first 48 hrs, the best thing to do was to 'use' them and recommended chewing gum evenly - must be a new thing? ? My son has mild autism (aspergers) and I've been trying to explain about not biting into food with his front teeth, but he's not understanding me yet! I wouldn't be surprised if all his lunch comes home today after school! ! I'll have to eat something to show him I think. I'm going to make him pumpkin soup which he loves for dinner, so hopefully that'll cheer him up.
lizab,
Jun 29, 9:21pm
thanks cook - I gave him some soup last night for dinner with bread. He ate the soup but left the bread. It's all new to him and us, luckily it's almost the school holidays (never thought I'd ever say that! ! ! ) so I'll be able to help him adjust then =)
cookessentials,
Jun 29, 10:41pm
The worst time is when they are newly fitted and when they are tightened as they move the teeth ( ever so slowly) but it makes your whole jaw and teeth ache which can be unpleasant. The gum will be good to help him get the chewing action going. Once it settles down he will be able to manage firmer foods. A good old omelette or scrambled egg would be good as i mentioned but anything with a soft consistency would be helpful - however, he does need to chew things 9 even if it is soft bread) as this helps the teeth settle in, if you know what I mean
lizab,
Jun 29, 11:06pm
he loves eggs, so that's great - thanks =)
ballito,
Jun 29, 11:51pm
My son didn't have much trouble eating anything. He did complain when the braces first went on and found it a bit painful for a couple of days and also when they got tightened. Luckily he looked after his teeth and braces and we didn't have any problems. His teeth were horrible before but when the braces came off (he had them on only for 18 months) his teeth were fantastic. Even now he looks after his teeth and doesn't have any fillings. Just great. Expensive but worth it in the end. Have to go through it with the next boy now. Anyway off the subject - he was very careful what he ate and I never prepared anything special for him. Although they do learn to cheat a bit I found and do munch on the odd sweet occasionally.
lizab,
Jun 30, 12:08am
thanks ballito. The orthodontist just said 'no lollies, no V, thank you and see you in 6 weeks, goodbye' ! ! ! So I was a bit miffed with him, especially as neither my husband or myself or any other family members have ever had braces. You've all been much more of a help to me than he was - thanks for the comments :)
lil_miss_haley,
Jun 30, 12:46am
I ate everything with my braces, but at the start it hurts so bad you don't want to eat anything. Chewing gum does get them going, its a hard feeling to explain. For the first couple of days I lived on liquid and soft food - eggs, up & go, ice cream, mashed potato. Only thing I had problems with (beside getting food stuck in them! ) was biting into things like apples, and sticky chewy lollies. One lollie even pulled the ring off my back tooth! I feel for your son, it does hurt, but totally worth it in the end.
akd100,
Jun 30, 12:54am
Avoid sticky things and very hard things. Not too much sugar stuff. Fizzy, juice and energy drinks should be limited (treats only). Soft stuff for the first couple of days, spaghetti, yoghurt, eggs, soup as already mentioned. Only takes a couple of days normally for the teeth to stop being so sore. He can eat normally really, just be careful with hard things.
lizab,
Jun 30, 2:34am
you guys are great - thx for all the comments. I've got pumpkin soup cooking now for him, so he'll be happy :)
susieq9,
Jun 30, 4:03am
Another vege to avoid is sweetcorn. Gets stuck in the braces. Had braces on when I was 12, many years ago. I ate what ever mum made for tea for everyone. Didn't have a lot of choices back then. Well worth it though.
priscilla2,
Jun 30, 4:19am
My daughter found them really painful when braces first went on and everytime she gets them tightened so eats puree fruit, noodles, rice pudding, mandarins, she broke them twice in the first month both times were eating chocolate but has been fine since ( 10 months). She can't eat nuts, apples, sweetcorn, hard muesli bars and lollies. I suspect she eats things tho that she is not really supposed to and one of the conditons of her getting braces was that she is thorough about cleaning them.
waswoods,
Jun 30, 9:49am
Every time my son's are tightened, he has to have a couple of panadol and nurofen to ease the pain. It's fine the next day, though
lindylambchops1,
Jun 30, 10:02am
Thank you for this thread. Last Monday 13 yr old son had four teeth out in preparation for his upper & lower braces which are being fitted a week tomorrow. The above has all been very interesting to me. The orthodontist did give us plenty of leaflets to read about what to eat & what not to eat & drink, also keeping the mouth clean. You have all given me some ideas for meals etc. Thank you all!
lizab,
Jun 30, 8:22pm
I'm struggling for school lunches though as my son is not happy about eating bread! ! I make my own bread, so it's really soft and I've been cutting off the crusts etc, but he says it takes too long to eat! Today I've sent him off with a little thermos of pumpkin soup and some cheese rolls made with grated cheese (crusts off bread and rolled up like sausages) I bet they come back home today though! Glad it's almost the holidays. Good luck to your son lindy - mine had to have 2 teeth out from the bottom before the braces went on.
lynja,
Sep 21, 9:10am
it does not take long for them to get used to them. i saw an amazing programme on tv about a palmerston north initiative set up to provide funding to children whose families can not afford braces. companies sponsor children. i see many children with teeth which are very very disfiguring whose families are obviously not able to afford the expense of braces. thankfully only one of mine needed them and my parents helped out with half the $ required.
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