The absolute worst thing: food

[anarchy45]

Oh boy am I going on a diet.

I LOVE to eat. Anything. Everything. Gorge myself for 2 hours at the all-you-can-eat.

Now the only things I can have are soup, smoothies, and anything small enough to swallow. With bite blocks my teeth only touch in one spot. I can nibble off bits with my front teeth, but am unable to chew anything (besides my cheeks). Can't get much flavor out of the food without sucking out the juices :-S I knew I'd have to limit myself to soft foods, but I was at least expecting to be able to chew :-(

I'm devastated.

Okay, so diet sucks. But the **absolute worst thing ever** is the food getting stuck! I can't stand it! And so far all I have are bite blocks and a lingual arch appliance on the roof of my mouth attached to two bands. sesame sticks behind the wires behind my front teeth, and I spend more time trying to pick it out with my tongue and fingers than I do actually eating the food. Running to the bathroom after a snack/meal is a big pain.

I invested in a water pik today and it worked really well, so I'll use it at least once a day. I have toothbrushes in my desk at work, in my bookbag, and a few spares in the medicine cabinet. But sesame stuck in my mouth really ruins a good meal :-S

[anarchy45]

I just needed to vent that, because I've taken 45 minutes to eat half of my smoothie, pulling out tiny bits of strawberry :-( Tasty, but gotta finish before it melts :-(

This sure is a bad start to things.

[katsface]

I've had a bonded palate expanded in my mouth for the past week. I can feel your pain! I can't really chew at all, and everything is getting stuck in the expander! But, after the first few days, I figured out how to take less time to eat.

Like you, if I try to get stuck food out with my tongue while I'm eating, it makes a meal last forever, not to mention the fact that my tongue gets torn up. But if I just ignore the stuck stuff, I can actually get a meal down in a decent amount of time. I admit, it's probably not fun to watch me eat. Though I do try not to open my mouth too wide, and I hide my mouth behind a napkin if I'm having a conversation during a meal. And it doesn't feel great to just let food accumulate. So, I do try to run my tongue around and get the major, easy to dislodge stuff as I eat. But, If I try to keep everything squeaky clean by sucking/prodding with my tongue, lunch will last all day.

Then, I take an interdental brush (AKA a small Christmas tree brush) and get the stuck stuff out of the expander (in the restroom, of course). The interdental brush works much better than a toothbrush when I don't have access to my waterpik.

For me, it's better to just deal with the unpleasantness of stuck food for a few minutes. I get the meal over with, and take care of the stuck stuff properly with an interdental brush, rather than spending an hour eating a small meal and injuring my tongue in the process.

[Tobilei]

I only have braces but I can identify! Certain foods are a nightmare (looking at you Special K breakfast cereal) and turn to superglue in the back corners of your braces.

Thank goodness for interdental toothbrushes! I'd be lost without them!

[Lewdboy]

Had my braces in yesterday, and the way i feel right now, i never want to eat again :(

[Tobilei]

Had my braces in yesterday, and the way i feel right now, i never want to eat again

Aww I know. It was so bad for me! I felt exactly the same. But I promise, it does pass and food interest comes back (mostly). Hang in there!

[Ciara]

Sounds awful! I only have braces and only on my upper jaw and I have had wonderful "fun" with just that. (I will be getting lower braces next month and a bite plate too. )
I hope it gets better. Perhaps with time you can become used to it.....How long will you have to wear this for?

[Angel269]

I had some wheat biscuits for breakfast and the good old "Waterpik" came out such a nightmare to get rid of and I am upper arch only!

[Lucky13NJ]

Since Monday (brace day), my diet has consisted mainly of soup, pudding, and mashed potatoes. I tried pieces of a chicken tender tonight but ended up getting my cheek stuck on a hook while trying to chew!!! Ouch!! I'm sorry you're in pain anarchy45 but at least we can all commiserate!

[anarchy45]

Thanks for the moral support

I went back last night for the doc to address a few issues - sharp edges on my upper lingual arch appliance where it is attached to the bands, and the molar buildups being an enormous pain. He keeps late hours twice a week until 9pm, so I went in at 8:15 expecting a quick fix. Wrong. Didn't leave until 9:40. But he and his staff were totally cool about staying late, so that was very reassuring.

He filed down the molar buildups quite a bit and put a softer composite on the top... yesterday I was munching some yogurt for lunch and heard a huge CRUNCH as I bit into my cheek. Spat blood for 10 minutes. Ouch

I discovered the miracle invention of wax this morning. Starting my day off on a much more pleasant note!

Going back on Feb 5 for some torturous-looking lower appliance with 4 bands and a few springs to widen my mandible. Top braces a week or two after that. Goodie gumdrops

Also worth mentioning, I've already lost 5 pounds in 4 days =) I can stand to lose a few...

[xanidu2012]

Trust me. Everybody here knows exactly how you feel. I know I do and I've only got braces.

[Tobilei]

Glad you've got some of the issues fixed up I hope that cheek you bit feels better soon! I've eaten mine a couple of times and I only have braces too

[CoryDaniels]

expander sucks! I had one on my first go round with braces back when I was in 5th grade. I didn't eat for one week! Had to get the ortho to take it off after that....bite blocks on the other hand...I had no trouble eating with those after the first few days.