Life with Braces

Now that you have your braces, how do you take care of them? It’s important for you to know how to properly take care of your braces throughout your entire orthodontic treatment.

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Eating with Braces

Don’t worry, you’ll be eating popcorn and snacking on potato chips again in no time! However, before you can start enjoying some of the treats you love, you will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances.

Soreness caused from braces and appliances

When you first get your braces, you may notice that your teeth and mouth feel a little tender or sore. This is perfectly normal and we promise your mouth will not be sore forever! To relieve the pain, we recommend dissolving one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of lukewarm water. Swish and gargle this solution in your mouth for just a couple of minutes (do not swallow the saltwater).

If the pain is more severe and does not go away after rinsing, you can also try taking a pain reliever. It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become used to the braces. We would be happy to give you some wax that you can put over the braces to lessen the tenderness. If you need some wax, please let us know.

Foods you can eat
with Braces:

Dairy — soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks
Breads — soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins without nuts
Grains — pasta, soft cooked rice
Meats/poultry — soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats
Seafood — tuna, salmon, crab cakes
Vegetables — mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans
Fruits — applesauce, bananas, fruit juice, sliced apples
Treats — ice cream without nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, soft cake

Foods to avoid
with Braces:

Chewy foods — bagels, licorice
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

Loose teeth

If your teeth begin feeling a little loose, don’t worry; this is normal! Your braces must first loosen your teeth to move them into the right position. Once your teeth have been repositioned, they will no longer be loose.

Playing sportswith Braces

Game, Set, Match — we have great news for athletes! You can still play sports even while undergoing orthodontic treatment! If you do play sports, it’s recommended that you wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and your appliance. Let your doctor know if you need help finding the right mouthguard for the best protection.

In case of a sports emergency, be sure to immediately check your mouth and appliance for damage. If you notice any loose teeth or appliance damage, please contact our office right away. You can temporarily relieve the discomfort by applying wax or rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater.

Take care ofyour appliances

Damaged appliances can increase the length of your treatment process, so be sure to take care of all your appliances. Your teeth and jaw can only move into their correct positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, headgear, retainer, or other appliances prescribed by your doctor.

Loose Wires and Bands

The wires and bands on your braces may come loose. If this happens, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can check and repair your appliance. If any piece of your appliance comes off, be sure to save it and bring it to the office with you.

You can temporarily fix the loose wire by using the back of a spoon or the eraser end of a pencil to carefully and gently push the wire back into place. If the loose wire is causing irritation to your lips or cheeks, put wax or a wet cotton ball over the broken wire to relieve the pain.

What Our Patients Say

Tom Ladky

16:10 14 Nov 24

In and out quickly and ahead of schedule. Whole team at Arbit is fantastic.

Jena Sanford

23:29 12 Nov 24

Everyone is super nice in the office. My son and daughter has been treated and they teeth look amazing

Earnell

01:01 31 Oct 24

One of the friendliest, professional office environments anywhere. The staff is very warm and caring. And their service is "Simply the Best!"

Mark Meyer

13:43 24 Oct 24

Dr. Arbit is now working with another son. Throughout the visit, he made him laugh, feel comfortable, and explained what was happening in a way that a nine-year-old could understand. He answered questions, and made him look forward to having an expander. The work is excellent, and I always recommend to other parents for them to take their kids to Dr. Arbit.

Jeffrey Koenig

15:57 16 Oct 24

I went to Dr. Arbit for a checkup after having my teeth straightened with braces by his team as a child. He is kind, thoughtful, and knowledgeable about dentistry and teeth. Turns out you should consider toothpaste with fluoride. I would not hesitate to recommend him to friends and family for their braces. 5/5

Valerie Miller

23:24 25 Sep 24

I cannot recommend Dr. Arbit and his team enough. We moved to WI with my daughter in active ortho. I have been a dental professional for many years so it was very important to me that she receive exceptional care in our new home state. Dr. Arbit is the only provider in the area using the same system my daughter was using prior to our move. The transition was flawless. My daughter just got her brackets off. Her teeth look beautiful. I would choose Dr. Arbit and team again in a heartbeat.Thank you to all!!!The MillersCedarburg

Laura Kauzlarich

11:01 20 Aug 24

We LOVE Dr. Arbit!!! His office is so welcoming, he is such a kind and knowledgeable man, I would not go anywhere else. I have been seeing Dr. Arbit for myself and my children for over 14 years. I drive hours for each visit and I wouldn’t change a thing. Not only is the service reasonable, but also innovative! Dr. Arbit truly cares about his patients and their health; so many orthodontics are very aggressive and Dr. Arbit offers a light hand with better results. If you haven’t made an appointment, or if you’re not sure, they offer free consulting and the quality is unbeatable. Also, they have free arcade games to keep you occupied, it’s pretty awesome.

Katherine Kautzer

12:20 16 Jul 24

Dr. Arbit and his team are always attentive to our needs, going beyond standard care to ensure patients of all ages are given the best possible care. His team has been able to make the most complex, daunting orthodontic issues (to a parent), seem simple to solve. The team takes care to explain things to us and we would not trust anyone else to help!!

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