Getting braces?

Question

Is getting braces painful? What can't you eat when you get braces, and do you get a lot of cuts in your mouth from braces?

Answer 1

- The amount of pain when they're first put on varies. There will be some pain after your monthly tightenings, but you'll get used to the few days of discomfort will become routine after a while.

- Softer foods are going to be your friend initially. If you're the type of person that has trouble putting on weight, a calorie/protein type shake might not be a bad idea since when you're teeth hurt, you don't feel like eating, and thus your weight drops a bit.

- You can still eat things like steaks if you cut it up into smaller than before you had braces size pieces.

- The list of foods that will make cleaning your braces a nightmare is long. If you love a big green salad...your smile is unfortunately going to look like the canopy of a rain forest right afterwards. Brushing your teeth right after meals (if not with toothpaste, just to clean the gunk off) will become a habit too.

But the most important thing is...remember that it will ALL be worth it in the end. Just keep the picture of how beautiful your smile is going to be when you're done clear in your mind, and you'll be able to endure the process just fine!

- Good luck