Is eating optional after braces

[meeks]

I would say about 3 weeks and then it starts to feel more normal. I couldn't even eat a banana it was that painful just smooth soups and mashed potato for me!

It does get easier I promise - but be prepared as when your brace is tightened or your wire changed you can feel like your back at the beginning but it only lasts a couple of days then!

You can really begin to dislike the trips to the orthodontist though - keep smiling

[Jen8626]

Hello there!

I seem to remember not being able to bite into, for example, a sandwich for quite some time, maybe a month. My bite was constantly changing. I couldn't bite down because it hurt too much and I remember my jaw would kind of just "hang" maybe because of molar bite build-ups on back molars. Using elastics to move my jaw forward undoubtedly helps to improve your bite, so make sure you wear them if they're included in your treatment plan! I ate soft pasta like, lasagna, shepherds pie, mash potato, baked beans, soups you name it for some time. Chewing on your teeth definitely helps to alleviate pain I felt like I needed a teething gel toy that babies have you can also use a damp wash cloth to chew on.

The good news is it will get better and you're definitely not the only one!

[Foxsong]

It took me eight weeks, right up till my first adjustment, to chew on anything significant. The night before that adjustment, I was actually able to bite into a cheeseburger and chew it. I went to my ortho the next day and told him I had eaten a cheeseburger, and he chuckled and said "Well, I'll just put a stop to that." And he did... it's back to yogurt and soup and cottage cheese for me again!

[marzdncr]

Hey mslady919, I posted the same thing you did 2 days after I got my braces on May 28th. All I wanted to know was when can I eat!!! It has been three weeks now for me since being in braces and I am eating EVERYTHING! Except for the items listed by my ortho (popcorn and sticky candy).. All I was able to eat the first week was soup and mashed potatoes and smoothies. That's it. I was starving! It hurt to bite down on scrambled eggs.
By week two I was on softer things, and now like I mentioned can eat almost everything I had before. The only thing is chewing is just different now, and I can't bite into anything (I need a fork and knife). Everyone was telling me it will get better and it did. I instantly regretted the braces because they were so much more painful and awkward than I thought, but now the hard part is over. You will see!

Be good to yourself and try to be patient. Allow yourself to indulge in ice cream while you can because before you know it, you can't take advantage of only being able to eat that!
Good luck!

[klobird]

Well, what can I say---I have had my braces for 7 weeks, 1 day--I didn't have a bit of pain with the spacers, and right after getting my braces we went out to eat. I had Yaki Udon. I feel sort of like I don't belong to the club or something.
I really have had no pain at all, except with the pokeys, and once the elastics were rubbing on the inside.

Ok, so I had steak and potato chips for dinner tonight and a chocolate cupcake afterward. The only thing that really deters me from eating is the clean-up afterward, and so often.... Oh ya-- I was thinking of Cat and her popcorn today while I was eating a big chocolate cookie with nuts in it. I chewed the nuts with my front teeth.

I have wax on my pokeys and I was taking it off to eat and dropped it right in the broiler--can't wait to see what that's going to do--and there must be little round elastics all over my house--they take off like rubber bands when your trying to shoot one at somebody..only I'm just trying to get them on... I think there all over in the bathroom at work too....

Well, I have to get a couple more spacers for 2 more molar bands on July 19, and then a new wire, and the molar bands on July 26th. I bet I will be in for a great big shocking surprise...better take a lot of Ibuprofen beforehand and stock up on the ice cream!!

[Robot Teeth]

This discussion thread is my main source of inhibition about getting braces!

[Foxsong]

This discussion thread is my main source of inhibition about getting braces!

Don't let us scare you! Believe me, even if I have to subsist on tomato soup and Ensure for the next two years, I would never, ever go back and not get these braces because of it. The feeling of being able to smile unselfconsciously in public is completely life-changing!!!

[sea54change]

The feeling of being able to smile unselfconsciously in public is completely life-changing!!!

Foxsong- I agree with you 100%. That is the carrot in front of me all these long months. And I've noticed recently that after 9 months, I am smiling big smiles as if I didn't have braces on. I don't care one peep if people see them..

[klobird]

I agree---I would cry if my braces got removed right now--everyday, I look forward to looking for a change...it's kind of fun! And I never really cared what people think....in fact, I like showing them off---I love the surprise factor--I really do!!!

[Kittykins]

Got to be honest, braces are the best thing to happen to me I enjoy smiling a lot more now In fact I think it's showing them off I love XD Then again I'm having an off day as just had an adjustment, but at least I could still have a chocolate milkshake from McDonald's I agree with Klobird about crying when having them off XD It's enjoyable waking up, seeing a gap has appeared/disappeared XD

P.s The ortho's don't tell you this...but people with braces are cooler

[ann0rz]

I had to be really careful about eating for about two weeks after getting braced, because the insides of my mouth were so scraped up and in pain, but after that I was pretty quickly back on a regular diet and snacking away like there's no tomorrow. So much for my initial hope that the braces came with a free weight loss program

[Hopefulsmile84]

I'm kinda worried after reading this thread about eating. After going on a soft food diet for getting teeth extracted and then get spacers less than a week later(which is more painful then teeth pulling for me mind you) I haven't been able to chew since getting just 2 spacers I'm afraid after getting braces just on my top teeth right before my vacation I'll be screwed for being able to eat anything I enjoy. I hate soup tolerate yogurt and hate oatmeal. It took me forever but yesterday I had 2 bagels and ate them despite the pain because I was tired of eating oatmeal for breakfast(I'm that stubborn) After awhile the pain did get the best of me and I ate slower but still downed the thing swallowing some bites whole in the process. If braces are worse than this I'm screwed. Some days with spacers my teeth hurt without chewing which scares me just as much. :(

[Kittykins]

Spacers are the worst part! They were for me anyway 0,o My mouth has gone back to normal eating with the front teeth wise after my adjustment on Tuesday. I find just cutting things like chips/fries up is how I survived :L Although I had to moosh them up with my toungue But that was when I had spacers 0,o Now I brave chewing with my back teeth regardless to try to harden my senses off :L