Tips for Surviving Your First Week with Braces

Posted by Lucy petterson on October 14th, 2021

You have consulted with your orthodontist in South East London to discuss the best treatment plan for you. And now it is time to get your braces put on. It can be a nerve-wracking experience for most of you. But getting braces means you\'re one step closer to achieve a new, beautiful smile that you’ve always wanted.

However, once you have braces, it can take a bit of time to adjust. Having new hardware in your mouth often takes a bit of getting used to it. One of the most complex parts about getting braces is making it through the first week. Your body is just getting used to these strange, new pieces of metal in your mouth, and you are likely to feel a bit sore at first. But once you get through that first week, though, you’re well on your way to a beautifully straight smile.

Also, to make you feel more comfortable in your new braces, we have given you some tips that will help you survive your first week with braces.

Be Careful What You Eat with Braces

Orthodontists in South East London usually advise their patients to eat softer foods only, such as yogurt, soup, ice cream, smoothies, pudding, pasta, soft veggies, soup, and cold beverages. Because, in those first few days, you would need to be very careful about what you eat as your mouth is getting used to the braces.

Once you get used to your braces, you can graduate to more solid foods, but always steer clear of gum with sugar in it. Gum with sugar in it can cause damage to your teeth and braces. Also, avoid eating sticky, chewy, or hard foods like hard bagels, nuts, popcorn, caramel, pizza crust, toffee, etc.

Use Wax to Fight Sores in Your Mouth

Brackets and wire are used to fit braces in your mouth. Basically, these brackets and wires are designed to be gentle on your mouth, but they can rub on the soft skin in your mouth, and you may feel irritation while you’re still getting used to them, especially if it\'s your first day with braces. Over time, your skin will toughen, and these brackets and wires won’t be a problem anymore. Until then, it’s a good idea to use the wax that your orthodontist in South East London has provided you to ease any discomfort. This wax will help you soften the area and put a buffer between your appliance and mouth.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits

As you know, braces require brackets and wires to fit in your mouth. So small food particles can get easily trapped in your braces. That\'s why you have to make sure you are brushing and flossing your teeth thoroughly. To avoid getting cavities and bad breath you should clean your teeth after every meal, and in the morning and at night. While it may be challenging to clean your teeth with braces at first fully, you will quickly become accustomed to maintaining your oral hygiene, even with metal on your teeth. If you make these oral hygiene practices a habit in your first week, you won’t experience any problems in the future.

To Wrap Up

Each person may adapt to the discomfort of braces differently, but following these steps will make your journey to straight teeth much easier. So now, if you live in South East London and looking for a private dentist near me for any type of dental treatment, visit Mindful Dentist. They have some of the best orthodontics in South East London whom you can rely on completely. To book an appointment, you can visit their site at The Mindful Dentist - https://www.mindfuldentist.london/.