Summary

Once you tell your friends and family you’re about to wear braces, they might share numerous stories about their teeth-straightening journeys.

Embarking on a teeth-straightening journey is a transformative experience. It’s inspiring to know that nearly 50-70% of Americans choose this treatment to enhance their smile and lifestyle. 

However, the first week of wearing braces is often the most challenging. The journey to a transformative smile begins with some directions and tips.

Therefore, in this blog, we take a closer look at your first-week journey with braces via topics like: 

• An Insight into the Next 7 Days Following Your Braces
• 5 Tips to Help You Navigate Through the First Week of Braces
• Speaking with Braces

So continue reading as we learn more about your first week with braces in the following sections. 

An Insight into the Next 7 Days Following Your Braces

On the Day of Application

Braces should be pretty painless to put on the first time. However, in the hours after placement, you may notice that it takes longer than normal to finish meals while you adjust to chewing while wearing braces. 

For the first few days, stick to softer meals (soups, mashed potatoes, boiled veggies, drinks, etc.) to help your teeth and mouth get used to braces. You may also feel some discomfort or soreness when your teeth shift.

Three Days After Placement

The first few days with braces are the most unpleasant because the teeth begin to align, and the mouth responds to the pressure of the wires and elastic ties. 

If the wires irritate your lips or cheeks, a staff member will demonstrate how to apply wax or silicone over the braces to alleviate the pain.

One Week After Placement

The discomfort you had in the first few days should subside after five to seven days following installation. The teeth will have mostly adjusted, making eating with braces comparatively easier. 

Take your time attempting tougher meals. Give your mouth extra time to adjust to the braces, and avoid sticky and sweet meals. Foods heavy in sugar can cause dental problems and sticky food can get trapped between the wires and the brackets.

5 Tips to Help You Navigate Through the First Week of Braces

1 – Don’t Leave the Office with Questions 

Your dentist in Texas would want to ensure you understand everything you need to know about living with braces. They will review your dental status extensively on your first appointment, which can be daunting, so if you have any questions, please ask! 

Before you go, be sure that:

• Check wire ends: Your dentist will ask you to use your finger and tongue to ensure the wires do not extend or enter your cheeks incorrectly. Be honest: what you believe to be slight discomfort will not seem so minor after 24 hours.
• Understand the following steps: Ensure you understand everything you’re meant to do before your next appointment. This might involve wearing headgear, utilizing elastics, adhering to special cleanliness guidelines, etc.
• Have enough supplies: Before your next orthodontic appointment, request enough dental wax, cleaning aids, elastic bands, and other supplies to make your life easy.

2 – Be Prepared with Over-the-Counter Pain Medicine: 

Unlike other dental treatments, applying braces is not unpleasant in itself. There are no needles or drills involved! However, around six hours after bonding, you should feel the impact of the arch wires pushing the teeth into position. 

The pressure is mild, but it takes a few days to adjust, and your teeth and jaw may feel painful for a few days. To alleviate this, take an over-the-counter painkiller like Tylenol or ibuprofen an hour before your visit. 

3 – Eat the Right Food Items

Eating while wearing braces will naturally seem like a novel experience, so learning what foods to eat and what to avoid can assist you through the process. Although you can eat as soon as you get home, we recommend limiting your intake to soft foods for the first few days. 

However, some foods should always be avoided when wearing braces. This includes:

• Sticky foods – Caramel and chewing gum.
• Crunchy foods: Chips, popcorn, and ice.
• Hard foods – Hard candies and nuts
• Foods that need biting — Apples, carrots, and corn on the cob.
• Chewy foods – Pizza, licorice, and bagels.

As you become used to your braces and the stiffness disappears, you can start eating more solid meals. 

4 – Wax & Saltwater Help with Discomfort 

Brackets and wires might irritate the sensitive skin of your mouth, particularly as you acclimate to wearing braces. Your skin will toughen over time, but we strongly recommend using the wax we supply to relieve discomfort. 

Warm salt water rinses can help alleviate pain and speed up healing. Rinse with half a teaspoon of table salt in one cup of warm water for 30 seconds, five to six times daily. Holding out has no benefit, so don’t wait until you can’t take the discomfort any longer.

5 – Ensure You Practice Good Oral Hygiene 

Oral hygiene is more important when you wear braces, but caring for your teeth properly will pay off! Clean your teeth after each meal and remove any food trapped in your brackets, even the rear. 

When you wear braces, it is even more crucial to maintain your regular brushing and flossing practice. If flossing with braces is challenging, consider ortho-pick flossers.

Everyone adjusts to braces differently, but these pointers can help you get started correctly. 

Speaking with Braces

You may notice that you talk less generally in the first few days after receiving your braces. This is natural and should disappear as your mouth adjusts to your braces. 

Your lips and tongue will need to navigate new challenges. Adjusting braces should take a little time, which is acceptable for most individuals. 

In rare cases, patients may require one or two sessions with a speech therapist, as suggested by their Taylor Dental & Braces dentist. Once done, you’re more likely to be able to talk normally in no time.

Takeaway

• Braces should be pretty painless to put on the first time.
• Eating while wearing braces is a novel experience, so learning what foods to eat and what to avoid can assist you through the process. 
• You may notice that you do not talk generally in the first few days after receiving your braces. 
• The pressure is mild, but it takes a few days to adjust, and your teeth and jaw may feel painful for a few days. 
• Let’s make your braces journey more convenient with our experts at Taylor Dental and Braces today!