When you get braces, you should be prepared to make specific drastic changes to your lifestyle. Altering your eating habits is arguably one of the most significant changes you will make. Unfortunately, the idea that one has to forgo some of their favourite foods, snacks and drinks is challenging for most people to fathom. As difficult as changing your eating habits might be, the end goal is motivating. It explains why dentists make an effort to let patients understand why they should avoid certain foods altogether.
Prevent Braces from Damage
Braces are mechanical devices with wires and adjustable joints. Therefore, the primary purpose of changing your diet is to protect the wires and adjustable sections from damage. Ideally, you should stay away from any hard or sticky foods and snacks because they can snap the archwire or dislodge a bracket from the teeth. It renders braces ineffective until an orthodontist repairs the damage. Any damage to braces prolongs the healing period, which is frustrating. Therefore, eliminating hard foods from your diet maintains your braces' condition and helps you finish using them faster.
Avoids Discomforts after Braces Installation/Adjustments
When an orthodontist installs or adjusts your braces, your teeth and gums will feel sore for a day or two. This sensation is common because your teeth and gums have to get used to the new settings. The good news is that the soreness disappears after a while. However, you will be dealing with sore gums for a long time if you insist on eating foods that require you to bite down hard. Thus, you should avoid foods like carrots, apples, pears and tough meat since they exacerbate the pain, making the braces unbearable. Instead, opt for softer foods like mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables and smoothies instead of whole fruits. These choices are gentle to your braces and ensure that your sore teeth and gums get better quickly.
Prevent Uneven Staining of Teeth
Dental braces comprise different parts, such as brackets, hooks, wires, a band and an elastic tie. The bracket covers part of the teeth, and their primary role is to hold archwires that move your teeth. Therefore, taking drinks and foods with high sugar content and forgetting to brush immediately puts your teeth at risk of uneven staining. The foods can easily stain exposed areas around the brackets, while covered spots remain unstained. Therefore, the easiest way to prevent teeth staining is to avoid carbonated drinks and sugary snacks.
For more information, contact an orthodontist.
