Those of you who enjoy old westerns, might immediately think of Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach, but this is orthodontics we’re talking about here… so this is all about Life With Braces.
The Good
I think that the good is self evident, but can be sometimes forgotten when you are deep in the throes of orthodontic treatment. The good is the result. Whether the braces are something that you chose to do, or had chosen for you, the result is something good. We will be taking your smile from a place where it was esthetically and functionally compromised, to a place where everything is in balance. This is definitely The Good.
The Bad
I think that hands down, the majority of my patients would say that not being allowed to chew gum and eat all of their favorite foods is definitely bad!
What Foods Do You Need To Avoid?
Sticky stuff:
Gum
Starbursts
Twizzlers
Skittles
Gummy Bears
And so on…
Crunchy stuff:
Popcorn
Doritos
Nuts
Pizza crust
Bagels
And so on…
Fresh fruits and vegetables:
Must be cut up into bite size pieces
As I said, life as you know it is now pretty much over… this is The Bad.
So That Leaves Us With, The Ugly
From the orthodontist’s perspective, I would have to say that the food and plaque that gets left behind after eating definitely qualifies as the ugly, both literally and figuratively. First of all, no one wants to see what you had for lunch… yuck! Secondly, and more importantly, if that stuff is not removed thoroughly, you are putting yourself at risk for permanent marks on the teeth that remain after the braces are removed, cavities, and gum disease. Your dentist and I are in complete agreement on this subject! After food goes in, it should be brushed off. When you’re in orthodontic treatment, this really means three times a day! And please don’t forget to add in daily flossing! And no, I don’t want to hear about how busy you are, or what a pain it is, or that you don’t remember… this is the long term health of your teeth that we’re talking about and I think it’s important that you make the time, so you don’t have to face, The Ugly.
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