Eating...

[Lisa65]

I eat everything I ate before with the exception of whole apples, chewy sweets like toffee and chewy meat like steak. I don't take any particular care with my brackets and none of them have come off.

[Jembrace]

I did eat popcorn and paid for it with a gum infection. I hadn't got a piece of popcorn out of my gums and the consequences weren't fun at all. I also don't eat sticky candy, but I do eat smooth peanut butter.

With things like steak, I cut much smaller pieces than I did pre braces. I also love nuts and raw veggies, but no longer eat nuts and my veggies are cooked. If I feel I want more calories, good old Carnation Instant breakfast drink helps!

With your brackets popping off, it might be a matter of your teeth somehow hitting them. Make sure at your ortho's office, you do a lot not only up and down motion with your jaws, but sliding back and forth, side to side, also. I had a problem with popping a bracket, it was because of the side to side sliding situation. Your orth might also need to move the brackets lower or higher on the teeth (depending if they're on the lower or upper jaw).

Good luck!

Jembrace

[Sweet Escape]

It hurts if I eat anything that requires chewing. I tried to have a salad sandwitch but I found myself picking at it and chewing tiny bites. I think I'll stick with mash and yogurt.