Eating in public

[revontuli]

Hi -- I've had my braces on for only 1.5 weeks, and up to now haven't had to eat in front of anyone but my husband (who is used to me and loves my braces). I'm wondering how people handle this -- do you just order soup at restaurants for the duration? Do you hurry and eat and run to the bathroom to brush before you talk to anyone? Or does it get easier to eat gracefully as time goes on? I hate the idea of grossing anyone out, but the only solution I can see is to order tomato soup -- for 2 years!!?!

[midlifesmile]

What I do is cut my food up it teeny tiny pieces AND order the softest, squishy-est food I can.

[hypocrite opportunist]

I just chew slowly and take small bites, and always have a glass of water to swish with (discreetly of course). If it really feels like there is food in my teeth I will rinse my mouth out in the restroom, but typically the water swishing takes care of it.

[Snowglobe32]

You can always try to chew to the side, this way food doesn't get stuck in the front teeth.

Cutting food into pieces works. After some time you will be able to feel if you have food stuck.

I have had my braces for almost a year and no one has ever told me I have food in my braces, I usually have to ask. No one seems to care.

[AnnR]

it's getting easier for me around 8 weeks later, i still panic at the thought of going out for a meal. and still paranoid about what to order - it's not as much fun going out anymore!

my main problem is not getting things stuck as water swishing is fairly good as mentioned in earlier replies - but i still havent learnt to eat properly with my mouth closed! And if thing are a bit chewy then thats even harder! Not sure when this gets better??

[midlifesmile]

My son pointed out that I eat with my hand over my mouth! I do find that I have to open my mouth when I try to chew because my teeth do not touch with turbos so there is a lot of open mouth issues.

This is one of my HUGE HUGE HUGE pet peeves: people who eat with their mouths open. SO I am my own worst enemy these days! I find it easier to make smoothies and eat mushy cereal.

[kaylaa]

I was shy when I ate out in public, but I have gotten over it. I eat easy to eat foods, not steaks and things like that order a drink and a water to swish and eat like I normally would. After my meal I excuse myself to quickly use the bathroom to brush and it's all good. People will understand and it's nothing to be embarrassed about. You shouldn't have to feel rushed. If you relax and enjoy your meal it will make you and your dinner dates more comfortable.

[hazel]

I had an invitation for a dinner party on the day I got braced....So the first time I ate was in front of people and it really felt uncomfortable.....I hardly ate anything and everyone was asking questions and forcing me to try other wise easy foods such as salads but the lettuce was wrapping itself around the wire and I couldn't chew!!!...the next day I had an other invitation and they prepared lovely dips and hard crackers, nuts, olives etc..It really felt akward having to refuse all the food being offered....but the best was a week later when I was invited for a pizza....the hardest pizza I've ever eaten...cutting it with a blunt knife into tiny pieces was exhausting..chewing it even more...luckily the wine was good so I took very small pieces and helped them down with wine!

Because I can't close my mouth properly because of the brackets, I'm still finding it difficult to chew thin stuff like lettuce, rocket etc. Spaghetti which I really love are also a challenge and I'm having to cut them into pieces (UGHH). So far I haven't attempted biting anything......not even a soft sandwich....I'm eating everything with a fork and a knife. When eating stuff like bread,I tear tiny pieces with my hands. However it does seem to be getting better!!

I find it very embarassing to wash my teeth in public bathrooms...there doesn't seem to be a polite way to rinse your mouth.....

[MES1279]

My son pointed out that I eat with my hand over my mouth!

I find myself doing the same thing!

I usually will excuse myself to brush my teeth when the meal is finished, or at least to do a quick check to make sure I don't have half my sandwich caught up in my grill!

[Bracy]

Yeah, it's definitely not the same. I am a big fan of eating at home or take-out these days. If it was up to me I wouldn't eat much in public but every now and then I can't get around it. In that case I try to order something that is easy to chew and that will least get stuck in my teeth. Soup if I like any of the offered ones or pasta. French Toast works fairly well if you chew to the side. I do use water too and if I feel like something got stuck or if we will not go home immediately afterwards I go to the restroom and at least check the situation. Sometimes I can just use a tiny brush to get rid of a 'black bean' for example...I have this braces kit with me and have a little mirror so I can check. I think as time passes you will get more used to it. It doesn't bother me anymore as much as it did in the beginning. I also didn't know that things can get much more complicated when you get rubber bands that completely close your mouth in the front, haha. Nowaydays I'm happy when I can take the elastics out for 30 minutes a day just to eat, that's my luxury now. It's all perspective - enjoy eating without having to take out elastics and having to put them back in afterwards...it can always get worse.

[VA5]

I think I was self conscious at first.. b/c I couldn't bite into things properly. Now that I can.. it's mostly a food-in-my-teeth issue. I find myself constantly shoving food out of my teeth with my tongue after meals. I'm not really good about carrying around my toothebrush but I really ought to.

[wired nana]

I think the worst for me is eating lunch with the people I work with. I work with all men, and they're all about 15 to 20 years younger than me. They're probably thinking, "the old lady has food stuck in her teeth again". Ugh.

[blackapple]

I quickly got over any apprehension in eating out in public. I stick to soft foods like pasta and soup. Once in awhile I will even eat bread but I pinch off several bits and chew them. I just cut up everything small with a knife and fork and go to town. Stuff like cake is easy to eat. Just mush it up at the roof of my mouth. I avoid stuff like salad and broccoli. Those are a beast to clean up after.

[VA5]

I find that really soft mushy foods get stuck easily in my braces, though... not that lettuce doesn't but you can get it out with one pinch of the lettuce. the bread or pasta on the other hand.. you can get your finger or toothpick on it, but you'll only get part of it. know what i mean?

i don't think any food is a good food to eat while you're in braces, in other words! ! lol... i simply just can't WAIT TO GET THEM OFF!!!

[itsabouttime22]

I've gone out to eat a ton with my braces- I order anything I can cut up and chew with the back teeth. No sandwiches or anything that would really get stuck in my front brackets when I bite into it. I break up cookies or chips with my hands before I put them in my mouth too. It's a small price to pay for hopefullly having nice looking teeth down the road!