Newbie Eating with Ceramics - HELP.

[lisa78]

Hello there

I had my baby canine tooth extraction today (ouch) in prep for getting my ceramic top braces fitted this Friday. Have read lots of stories about foods staining the ceramics. I'm panicking about being really hungry and wondering what foods are safe to have (to avoid staining) and easy to eat to get me started off? Any advice on things to buy in ready & also big no-no foods to avoid would also be grand.
Thanks in advance
Lisa

[TumbleDryLow]

Ceramic brackets don't stain--the rubber ligatures do, however the ligs are changed at each adjustment. (If you have self-ligating brackets stop reading now. You will not have ligatures, thus will not have a staining issue at all.) If you opt for clear ligatures, those will stain in a matter of days no matter what you eat or drink. I advise not using those unless your ortho is willing to change them out weekly for you. Discrete lig colors that stain a bit less and look a bit less yellow when they are stained are: smoke, pearl, and light gray. (Others may have other suggestions.)
The worst offending food/drinks that I can think of off the top of my head are: coffee, dark tea, curry (specifically turmeric), mustard, ketchup, and most tomato sauces.

[Sevilon]

I asked my ortho the same thing. A friend of mine told me how badly her clear power chains stained after she drank coffee, and it made me afraid of the ceramics as well. But I drink coffee daily, and my ceramics are still pretty and white! :)

[Sevilon]

And wanted to add- having the ceramics put on my top teeth was the easiest part of the whole process so far! I had those on first, and then 2 months later the bottoms added.
So don't worry! Good luck.

[Bron]

Hiya, I have ceramics top and bottome, with full clear ligatures and I haven't had any issue of staining them. I am a huge caffeine drinker and have a lot of tomato based sauces with no issues whatsoever. I have heard bad things about curries but I can't eat those anyway so I haven't had that problem.

Good luck with them i'm sure you'll be fine.

[lisa78]

Thanks all for replies. I have no idea if they will be self ligating brackets or not. I'm presuming not but will see on Friday. My dentist hasn't been the most helpful about any of it so far and hasn't explained everything in detail.
It sounds as though there has been mixed results with staining on the ligs. I don't drink coffee which is a bonus but Tomato based sauces is a worry as we have them on a weekly basis. Will maybe have a re-think on the tomato based sauces or maybe try them the day before the ligs get changed. Thanks again.

[TwistedShelby]

If they stain and you have a special occasion coming up your ortho with probably change them for you, mine does no problem. You will have plenty of oh no moments, when you eat something and come away with bright yellow ligs. But there is only you that sees them, no-one has ever commented on how gross they look. Get mine changed in a weeks time, so I'm drinking as much tea as my stomach can cope with and I'll be having a couple of curries too. Finally you just learn not to be so precious about them, you can't give up everything - it's hard enough not being able to chew properly!

[kennyandrew85]

I would only suggest avoiding curry/coronation chicken etc...

Coffee seems to be fine, especially if you have milk! Not tried wine as I'm a beer drinker but I think red wine might stain for sure! It looks like you haven't brushed your teeth after curry so I try to avoid it until a few days before adjustment

[Chuck1026]

I was told coffee and wine are okay, but to rinse well immediately afterward. I will not be able to resist red wine, so I will find out either way and report back... unless somebody else confirms red wine is okay for ceramics.

[lisa78]

Thanks guys! Muchos appreciated. I've just got them on today and boy does my mouth ache. So far I've avoided tea but I don't function well without it so may try a cup tomorrow and see what happens x

[drgnchsr36]

I drink tea all the time and haven't noticed an issue... I also drink hot chocolate and hot apple cider..

[Chuck1026]

Well, I am wrapping up my first week soon, and I have already eaten pizza, wings, onion rings, fried haddok and grilled chicken. I found Advil an hour before dinner made pain a non issue, but now I no longer need it. Cleanup after dinner is slow and pretty disgusting, but worth it!

It's gonna get better for you! Just keep a "can do" attitude with common sense (protect the archwires and brackets from super sticky or crunchy stuff).

My wife had braces as a kid and she can not believe how well I am doing eating. I laughed and said, "nothing will come between me and food" .

Chuck

[lisa78]

Well today is day 3 and I'm managing OK if I eat at the side of my mouth. I can't bite down on anything at all at the front yet (OUCH)
People with ceramics - When I got mine on Friday the ligatures (supposedly clear) look yellowish (and not from staining as they were like this as soon as they were on before I ate or drank anything). I'm wondering if he's put the wrong colour on? Does anyone else find the ligatures stand out far more than the brackets? My brackets seem to match my teeth that are fairly white but the ligatures look off white / yellowy and not clear as I imagined. Maybe they are just a bad match for my teeth? Any thoughts?

[peanuts]

heyy! well ive had ceramics for 10 weeks now and at first i was really paranoid about staining but now i eat more or less whatever i want. im not a curry eater or coffee drinker to begin with, and i probably wouldnt fancy my chances with red wine, but i drink tea, hot chocolate, eat bolognese, tomato soup, chicken korma, brown sauce etc and ive had no issues. it is only the ligatures that stain & they get changed at your adjustments, but after mine get changed theyre pure brilliant white and i find myself actually hoping to stain them a bit so they dont stand out lol. they dont look stained though they just blend with my brackets and teeth better :)

[kitsune]

I have ceramic uppers. I've been drinking my coffee and red wine with a straw (obviously this is when I choose to indulge at home), and have not had any lig staining at all! It may be a little odd, but I think the ol' straw trick really helps with liquids.