Confess your orthodontic sins.

[28monthjourney]

I eat pretty much everything (except sticky foods and meat, including directly biting apples and crunchy carrot sticks) with my braces and never floss for the first two weeks after an adjustment (at first it's way too sore, then I'm way too lazy)
Plus, I've used a nebulizer with braces in. I wasn't specifically told that I shouldn't but since I was told to cut down on the tea and coffee because they'll stain around where the brackets are, I assume the (surprisingly yellowing) medicine that is pumped into my mouth for about an hour is also not recommended. Then again, I've started using whitening toothpaste (also not recommended by my orthodontist!)
I don't think I've ever lied to my orthodontist about anything, but he hasn't exactly asked about most of the taboo foods (although he knows about my flossing and isn't exactly happy about it).
Oh, and the only time I've broken a bracket was when I was trying to use an orthodontic floss pick!

[sara2280]

This post is awesome and hilarious!
Here are my confessions:
1. I am supposed to be wearing my elastics full time. If I know I am going to be interacting with people I will use my tongue and unconnect my elastics so no one knows I have them. I also don't wear them while I eat. I have had enough elastics snap in my mouth and I have swallowed my fair share of elastics that it truly can't be healthy. I am doing the best that I can and trying to wear my elastics as much as I can.
2. I don't floss everyday but I do floss occasionally.
3. I have eaten popcorn, chips, almonds, gum, and have had these delicious little things called Snappers. So good!
4. I drink coffee everyday.
5. I have tried my elastics in other configurations and have doubled up for no other reason than to play with all these dang hooks!
6. I have called the ortho office and asked to come in to get a wire clipped just so I can get a sooner appointment and get my ligs changed. My ortho does adjustments every 6-8 weeks and it's so far away!
I think that is it! Phew...that's a load off! What's my penance?

[lorsa]

Wow...I'm only 4 weeks in and have been wracked with guilt because I never floss, I only use the (fabulous, in my opinion) Waterpik. I got it the day I got my braces put on and I don't know what I would do without it.

Oh, and I don't brush after lunch either. That last a week at most. :)

[lorsa]

[quote="lorsa"]...Oh, and I don't brush after lunch either. That last a week at most. :)[/quote]

oops, I meant to say that LASTED a week at most.

[parsleysage]

I tried to eat gummy fruit snacks tonight. As soon as I popped the first one in my mouth and started to chew I heard the archwire make some noise and thought better not! (Especially as I just broke off a bracket the other day... while flossing, all you naughty posters!) I was sad but gave my bag of snacks away to my coworker.

Hmmm... I'm barely into week 3 so I guess I'm still a goody two-shoes. Other than the fruit snacks I haven't eaten any no-no foods and I always floss. I WANT TO JOIN THE DARK SIDE!!!!

[bride123105]

I ate a whole lot of popcorn yesterday... nothing bad happened. I have also eaten meat off the bone with no ill effects.

[djspeece]

I tried to eat gummy fruit snacks tonight. As soon as I popped the first one in my mouth and started to chew I heard the archwire make some noise and thought better not! (Especially as I just broke off a bracket the other day... while flossing, all you naughty posters!) I was sad but gave my bag of snacks away to my coworker.

Hmmm... I'm barely into week 3 so I guess I'm still a goody two-shoes. Other than the fruit snacks I haven't eaten any no-no foods and I always floss. I WANT TO JOIN THE DARK SIDE!!!!

Your day will come, my child.

[jaime]

I'm a month into braces so I'm still more or less good, but I don't floss everyday. If I'm tired or it's really late, I don't bother.

Also, I'm eating Sour Patch Kids right now. It's 8:30am.

[rosesrred1026]

String flossing? What's that? My Waterpik is my lover, thank you very much. Also, there was no way I was giving up chips. Popcorn actually hurts to eat though so I avoid that mostly.

Three hail Marys coming right up.

[blacy1]

- I chew ice.
- I eat almonds.
- I drink soda :(

[kmadsen65]

Alphabetical, or in order of potential disasters?

Father, I have not flossed since I got braces. At my first cleaning 3 months after my braces were applied, the hygeinist commented that she had so little work to do, that whatever I was doing was really working, and to keep up the flossing. I told her that I didn't floss, that I used interdental brushes dipped in Listerine instead and outlined my routine. I think she got a little light-headed and started breathing faster, and managed to gasp "Well, it is really working." I'm sure I got reported to the authorities the same way in third grade when I purposely jay-walked in front of the Junior Police kid, who came to my classroom the next morning, asked for the teacher, and I was then summoned to the hallway and was made to understand that my behavior was undermining democracy. Or something. Anyway, heard the same deal from different hygeinists on subsequent cleanings every 3 months. Say three Hail Damons and sin no more my son. But I know I'll be burning in orthodontic hell one day.

I have broken all the taboos on foods to avoid. Popcorn. Didn't make it two weeks before I resumed. Potato chips? Please. Life without chips is not worth living. I even recently succombed to red twizzler licorice, my all-time favorite candy snack.

Father, I smoke an occasional cigar. With a nice single malt scotch. My teeth didn't fall out.

After removing elastics before a meal, I sometimes fling them away outside and curse them and call them bad names embellished by creative obscene adjectives.

And that's the way I roll.

OMG! This totally made my day! I'm on day 5 of my top braces and spacers. Top braces are fine, but I'm about ready to yank the spacers out of my teeth!!! Getting them out tomorrow when they put my bottom braces on...anyway...I SO NEEDED THIS!!!

Thank you Dan!!

I haven't committed any sins yet. I'm too paranoid and I didn't really eat any of the foods to avoid before I got braced. I know, I know...go ahead and hate me. I'm a health freak. I eat really healthy and workout religiously. I'm working up the courage to try eating raw nuts again. Right now I'm sure they would hurt too much.

[kmadsen65]

HOLD THE PRESSES! We aren't supposed to eat SALAD?!? I eat a huge salad with everything but the kitchen sink every single day during the summer. Hell I have a massive garden just to grow my own veggies for said salads! If you took that away from me I would starve! I'm already going into withdrawal from my Trader Joe's trail mix. Although as soon as I get these damn spacers out, I'm sure I will brave that. It hurts too much to chew anything hard with these devil's creations crammed in between my teeth.

[oldfart]

This wasn't mine. But saw a teen with full braces just standing there eating an apple. Not slices, just chomping into the side of it. Actually have seen this twice with two different people.

[djspeece]

Alphabetical, or in order of potential disasters?

Father, I have not flossed since I got braces. At my first cleaning 3 months after my braces were applied, the hygeinist commented that she had so little work to do, that whatever I was doing was really working, and to keep up the flossing. I told her that I didn't floss, that I used interdental brushes dipped in Listerine instead and outlined my routine. I think she got a little light-headed and started breathing faster, and managed to gasp "Well, it is really working." I'm sure I got reported to the authorities the same way in third grade when I purposely jay-walked in front of the Junior Police kid, who came to my classroom the next morning, asked for the teacher, and I was then summoned to the hallway and was made to understand that my behavior was undermining democracy. Or something. Anyway, heard the same deal from different hygeinists on subsequent cleanings every 3 months. Say three Hail Damons and sin no more my son. But I know I'll be burning in orthodontic hell one day.

I have broken all the taboos on foods to avoid. Popcorn. Didn't make it two weeks before I resumed. Potato chips? Please. Life without chips is not worth living. I even recently succombed to red twizzler licorice, my all-time favorite candy snack.

Father, I smoke an occasional cigar. With a nice single malt scotch. My teeth didn't fall out.

After removing elastics before a meal, I sometimes fling them away outside and curse them and call them bad names embellished by creative obscene adjectives.

And that's the way I roll.

OMG! This totally made my day! I'm on day 5 of my top braces and spacers. Top braces are fine, but I'm about ready to yank the spacers out of my teeth!!! Getting them out tomorrow when they put my bottom braces on...anyway...I SO NEEDED THIS!!!

Thank you Dan!!

I haven't committed any sins yet. I'm too paranoid and I didn't really eat any of the foods to avoid before I got braced. I know, I know...go ahead and hate me. I'm a health freak. I eat really healthy and workout religiously. I'm working up the courage to try eating raw nuts again. Right now I'm sure they would hurt too much.

Give yourself time, Kelly, orthodontic sins will be visted upon you eventually. Glad you liked the post!
I'm a gardener too. Love salads but won't back down from ribs or other carnivorous treats. I'm at the top of the food chain for a reason.

[Featheryy1221]

HOLD THE PRESSES! We aren't supposed to eat SALAD?!? I eat a huge salad with everything but the kitchen sink every single day during the summer. Hell I have a massive garden just to grow my own veggies for said salads! If you took that away from me I would starve! I'm already going into withdrawal from my Trader Joe's trail mix. Although as soon as I get these damn spacers out, I'm sure I will brave that. It hurts too much to chew anything hard with these devil's creations crammed in between my teeth.

You can eat salad. Just cut off the crunchy parts of the lettuce (Like if your salad includes pieces of iceberg lettuce) and cut it into tiny pieces and you'll be fine. I've ate lots of salads so far since I too eat a lot of them. I was never told not to. A piece of lettuce might get stuck in your brackets but that's nothing brushing and flossing at night can't fix.