Boschken Orthodontics tells us: What foods should I avoid with braces?

What foods should I avoid?

That is a question everyone in orthodonic treatment should know the answers to in order to ensure that your treatment will be successful.  
Hard, sticky, sugary, and highly acidic and staining foods should be avoided while wearing your braces.

Hard and sticky foods can cause brackets to pop off and wires to bend improperly. Each loose bracket may mean an added month to treatment length. When wires are bent improperly, they move teeth into a wrong position and extra time is needed to move the teeth back into their correct position, extending total treatment time. Some hard and sticky foods to avoid: popcorn (kernels can get stuck under your gums causing pain and swelling), whole nuts, brittle, corn chips, ice cubes, corn-on-the-cob, corn chips, crispy tacos and taco chips, beef jerky, hard candies, pizza with hard crust, gum, taffy, licorice, skittles, starbursts, gummy bears, caramels, “Laffy Taffy”, “Tootsie Roll Pops”, popcorn balls, caramel apples and other similar hard/sticky foods. Be very careful with healthly foods that are large or crunchy by cutting them into small bite size pieces and placing them on the sides of your mouth (carrots, apples, hard french bread crusts etc.)  

Highly acidic foods such as lemons, limes, lots of orange juice and soft drinks are hard on tooth enamel and can be very destructive to your appliances and teeth.   Frequent exposure to such acidic substances will loosen your orthodontic cement and cause breakage of the appliances.  even without orthodontic appliances, citric acids can cause tooth destruction by dissolving tooth enamel.

Do not put anything into your mouth that will tend to break, pry, pull or knock off the braces.  Chewing ice cubes can also be quite destructive to your braces and tooth enamel.  
  

Staining foods (tomato sauce, mustard, coffee, tea, red juices and wines) may cause clear and light-colored ties to discolor. We suggest choosing dark, opaque ties to avoid lots of staining between appointments (we do change ties at each regular appointment).  Even with the self ligating brackets which are commonly used now, staining foods may also cause excess tooth staining requiring more frequent hygiene appointment with your general dental office.  Great dental hygiene is especially important during orthodontic treatment.

As always, if anything unexpected occurs, please inform our office at (408) 225-6660 and we can schedule an appointment to repair any troublesome mishaps.  Thanks & best of success with your orthodontic treatment.

Sugary foods greatly increase the probability that decay will occur and while in orthodontic treatment, should be avoided. Brushing and flossing with braces takes time. Plaque left on the teeth combines with sugar to cause permanent white spots of decalcification around the edges of the brackets. Fluoride brushing gel helps prevent this, but not eating sugary foods or drinking sugary beverages, in combination with thorough daily brushing and flossing, is the very best!

Why use Orthodontic wax? Boschken Orthodontics tells us why!!

If you are experiencing mouth irritation due to braces, orthodontic wax may be able to provide some relief. This type of wax sticks to metal in order to help with pain.

Though braces are relatively comfortable, they can cause some irritation within the mouth due to the fact that they may rub against your cheeks, tongue or lips. Since braces cannot be removed during treatment, your mouth does not have a lot of time to heal. Many people often complain of a raw feeling inside of their mouth (usually, this feeling goes away after the first few weeks) that can be greatly eased when orthodontic wax is applied.

The wax itself is made from natural silicone, and it is safe enough to use inside of your mouth. Still, if you are experiencing any type of discomfort it is best to contact Dr. Boschken just to be certain that your braces are alright. Sometimes, it is possible to accidentally knock off a bracket while playing sports, chewing sticky foods, and eating hard substances. If this has happened, apply a bit of the wax to your braces in order to hold them in place until you can visit our office.

Orthodontic wax can be purchased at most grocery stores, pharmacies and online for a minimal cost (it usually comes in a double pack), or you can contact our office to pick up complimentary wax packets. We are always happy to give you wax to have on hand just in case something unexpected does happen with your braces. If you have never experienced any problems with your braces, don’t worry about any type of pain. Many people wear braces for years without any issue at all.

In fact, braces are really not as challenging for patients as they were many years ago. Since the technology involved in creating braces is always changing, these devices are really quite comfortable now. However, things do happen and braces can cause minimal discomfort occasionally. Either way, it is good idea to have various items on hand just in case you do experience some type of dental pain.

Orthodontic wax is one thing that everyone wearing braces should keep inside of their medicine cabinet. Though you may never need it, this substance can help you to feel better should you go through some slight tenderness. In the end, your braces will be removed and you will have a wonderful smile.   Don’t be concerned if you happen to inadvertently swallow a small piece of wax as it is an all natural substance and will digest properly.

*Also, fyi...orthodontic wax adheres easier to a dry surface, so simply dry off your braces with a bit of tissue before appliying the wax to the area. You can always contact us if you need any additional assistance, we are always happy to be of service.  (408) 225-6660 

Retainer Care recommendations from Dr. Boschken

My Dog Ate My Retainer!!

Once your braces come off you will be given a custom made removable retainer for your upper and lower teeth. Some instructions must be followed in order to keep from losing or breaking your retainer. The basic care for your retainer is as follows:

• Always place the retainer in the retainer case when not in your mouth, do not put in your pocket or leave lying around.
• Do not wrap the retainer in a napkin while eating. This increases your chances of losing it after a meal.
• Do not clean the retainer with hot water!
• And the one rule that seems to be the most important…KEEP RETAINER AWAY FROM PETS!

Although this rule is often overlooked when caring for your retainer, it’s true…Dogs love to eat retainers! It is no secret that dogs like to eat weird things, edible or not. Retainers, along with rubber duckies, cell phones, plastic toys and rocks, are among the variety of objects that dogs like to eat even when they definitely don’t taste good! They will eat them up and thoroughly enjoy it without you even noticing.
As proof that dogs like to snack on your retainer, our office decided to post a picture of a half eaten retainer which was brought in by one of our staff members. The retainer was left on her  dresser instead of in the retainer case (for less than a day) and her 2 year old cocker spaniel found her way up to the dresser to have herself an afternoon snack. For some odd reason, many pet owners find themselves in this situation. Although it seems like an odd hobby,  it is a fact that dogs love to get a hold of and chew/eat your retainer, so be careful not to leave your retainer out where small children or pets (especially dogs!) can get a hold of it. Not only will your teeth begin to move without the retainer in place, but in order to replace it, you will have to pay for a new retainer to be made.
So if you have lost your retainer and you think you have looked everywhere…maybe you haven’t looked EVERYWHERE…

Smile for a lifetime!

 

 

 

Why Is Flossing Important?

Some of the food we eat is essential for health and well-being and some is just junk that we could live without. Whether your diet consists of completely healthy foods or whether you eat lots of sugary snacks, everything you eat can be unhealthy for your teeth.

The bacteria that is normally present in your mouth converts the sugars and starches in your food into acids. Together, the bacteria and acids mix with food particles to form plaque, a sticky film that coats your teeth. If left in your mouth, plaque attacks your tooth enamel and dissolves it, creating a hole, called a cavity, in the hard outer casing of the tooth. Plaque hardens into tartar, which only a dental cleaning by a professional can remove. Plaque and tartar irritates your gums and, if left unchecked, causes gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums, which in turn can lead to periodontal disease and tooth loss. Plaque can also be a source of bad breath. So now you see why Dr. Boschken, his dedicated staff, your general dentist and other dental professionals place such an emphasis on good oral hygiene!

Good oral hygiene is a routine of brushing and flossing every day to remove plaque from your mouth. You should brush at least twice a day and floss at least once a day. Brushing teeth properly and consistently helps to remove most dental plaque, but brushing alone can't remove plaque that is located in places that a toothbrush can't reach…such as between your teeth. Toothbrushes only work on the exposed outer surfaces of your teeth, flossing gets between your teeth and under the gum line.

As a part of your daily routine, you should floss at least once a day, especially after eating foods that easily stick between the teeth, such as sticky or gummy candies, corn on the cob, popcorn, or potato chips. (Floss first to loosen and dislodge plaque and food, then brush to sweep particles away.) In addition to removing plaque, flossing also helps to remove food debris that adheres to teeth and gums in between teeth, polishes tooth surfaces and helps control bad breath.

Flossing helps keep your teeth their whitest by removing food that could stain them. Flossing well also means your trips to the hygienist will be shorter and more pleasant, because you'll be doing most of the work of removing plaque and tartar in advance. Trips to the dentist will also be more economical, because you'll need fewer dental procedures such as fillings.

If you practice basic dental care, which means brushing and flossing regularly, eating a mouth-healthy diet, and visiting your dentist for check-ups and your dental hygienist for cleanings, you can prevent tooth decay and gum disease and your teeth will last a lifetime.
Floss aids, threaders, water pik machines, and superfloss enable you to floss with much more ease while wearing orthodontic appliances. Please ask our friendly dental staff if you need any help understanding how to use these materials when you next visit. We are always happy to help you obtain your dream smile!