Life With Braces

Adjusting to braces can take a little time. While the benefits of braces are great, you may need to make a few changes to your lifestyle while you wear them. Dr. Ben Neibaur can help make life with braces easy! Call us today at (801)-269-0303 to make your appointment with our orthodontist at Neibaur Family Orthodontics, and to learn more about life with braces in Draper, Sandy, and Kamas, Utah.

Taking care of your oral health and your braces is an important part of your treatment. When your appliances are well cared for, your treatment is easier and more effective. You may need to make adjustments to some of the things you eat, your physical activities, and your at-home oral hygiene routine.

Eating with Braces
While you can still eat what you want with an Invisalign® treatment (as the aligners are removable), there are certain foods that you should avoid while wearing traditional braces. Our orthodontist recommends that you avoid eating the following types of foods:

• Chewy foods — bagels, licorice, gummy candies
• Crunchy foods — popcorn, chips, ice
• Sticky foods — caramel candies, chewing gum
• Hard foods — nuts, hard candies
• Foods that require biting into — corn on the cob, apples, carrots

Soreness Caused by Braces
You will probably feel some soreness and discomfort during the first few days after you receive braces, and following any adjustments to your appliance. This is normal. You can gargle with warm salt water (1 teaspoon of salt in about 8 ounces of water), or take a mild pain reliever to alleviate this discomfort.

Physical Activity
You can participate in all your normal sports or physical activities while wearing braces, but we strongly recommend that you wear a mouth guard. This will keep your teeth and soft tissues safe during your orthodontic treatment. Please speak with our orthodontist or your family dentist about receiving a custom sports mouth guard.

Dental Hygiene with Braces
During your braces treatment, continue to brush at least twice a day and floss daily. You may also want to consider using a water pick or other device to help flush food particles and debris from your mouth and between the wires of your braces. You should also continue to visit your family dentist regularly for dental cleanings. This will help keep your mouth healthy and free from decay and disease.

For more information on life with braces, and to schedule your consultation with our caring orthodontist, please call our practice today.