Braces and weight loss query

[Skwiredmouth]

Hi all,

Today is my day 3 with braces and since both top and bottom have been bonded my molars dont touch each other. Hence I am unable to chew and all I had on last 3 days was chicken soup, lentil dhal, banana protein smoothie, sweet potato mash. I am really worried because I am underweight 105 lbs for 155 cm height and cannot loose more weight. What should I do?

Also my bottom incisors are feeling sore the whole time. They are really tight to floss now and bleed too during flossing . Does it mean they are moving?

Overaall my braces dont hurt but due to this eating issue I have started feeling depressed.

[JanineJanine]

Aim for higher calorie foods that will help you get enough nutrition without large quantities and without needing to chew.

Examples:
Avocado
Peanut butter
Mashed potato (add butter for extra calories)
Macaroni cheese
Rice pudding/oatmeal - you could add peanut butter or protein powder
Smoothies
Yoghurt (full fat Greek yoghurt for higher calories and protein)
Full fat milk

If your incisors are hurting, it is likely that they are moving Stick with it and it will get easier

[Ziggy]

Trust me, you'll figure out how to eat again. And, it's amazing how many calories you can cram into a blender. While I don't need to anymore, I still make smoothies often. I use almond milk, bananas, peanut butter, instant coffee, Oreo Cookies, whatever. I have lost a little weight but mostly because I stopped snacking -- tired of brushing every 5 minutes -- and I really needed to lose some weight. You won't starve.

[Sr798c]

I am experiencing the same issue. Cannot chew anything at all and have already lost 3 lbs since having my braces put on last Thursday. Losing a few lbs won't hurt me as far as the weight department goes I'm just concerned about the nutrition. Trying to eat things with lots of protein etc but I can only eat so much yogurt, scrambled eggs and soup before I go crazy.

[Skwiredmouth]

I am experiencing the same issue. Cannot chew anything at all and have already lost 3 lbs since having my braces put on last Thursday. Losing a few lbs won't hurt me as far as the weight department goes I'm just concerned about the nutrition. Trying to eat things with lots of protein etc but I can only eat so much yogurt, scrambled eggs and soup before I go crazy.

Hey Sr,

It should get better but not very much. I have now got my food sorted as of now for getting good nutrition

1) cottage cheese , protein shake , salted yogurt shake , scrambled egg with cheese , chicken soups for proteins.
2) sweet potato mash ( healthy carbs plus fibre too i eat 2 big sweet potatoes at one go) , avocado mash for good fat
3 )rice and lentil curry (without turmeric to avoid staining) . I can put up the recipe and pics if you need . Its very soft and still gives a feeling of eating instead of drinking.
4) veggie soups for vitamins .
5) Apple almonds/cashews smoothie ( strained ) .
6) Theres a chickpea drink i make thats pretty healthy too but not sure if you would get the chickpea powder where you live. I drink this as snacking option.

I got depressed first few days too about my health but its getting better .
You would become a creative cook !! I feel like by end of this journey I can open a braces friendly food joint.

[Sr798c]

Thanks Sk! Some of those sound wonderful and definitely better than what I've been eating!

[SoulfulRetreat]

Those are great ideas for foods. Thanks! I will keep this in mind when I get my braces applied.

[FlyByNight]

The pain will definitely go away in a few more days. As for your gums bleeding, did you floss them every day before you got braces? Now that your incisors are tighter, try not to "pop" the floss down.

[verso]

I've definitely lost weight. I can't blame it all on the braces though. I'm a teacher, so I've got 20 minutes to eat, and that's hardly enough time to begin with. But with braces, eating just feels like an even bigger inconvenience, having to take out my elastics, throw down some food, go to the bathroom to pick food out of my teeth, put my elastics back in... I just don't even bother.

I'm going to have to watch my weight, though. I was relatively thin to begin with and I'm starting to get a little slack in my size 30's.

[seira]

Hi all,

I'm 4 weeks in my braces. I have bite turbos, and I'm finding it VERY hard to eat and maintain weight. I am starting to be able to eat a bit more now. The bite turbos don't let my teeth touch so, I can't chew.

I'm getting frustrated because I don't think "mooshy" foods are providing me enough energy: baby food, congee (Chinese rice porridge), avocados, eggs, cheese toasties (ripping them into small parts), soup, protein shakes, mapo tofu. It feels like everything I'm consuming is protein and vegetable based. I'm missing out on iron, and all the other nutrition meat provides. I've purchased vitamins to stop malnutrition, but I'm still tired. I've resorted to eating cheesecake to maintain protein and kilojoule (calorie) intake. I've almost given up eating because I'm too tired to eat.

I think depression and fatigue is starting to slowly creep in. I get stressed about food. Everyone who has had braces tells me it's okay. "When I had braces, I had a lot of soup". I am Asian 164cm/48kg I'm used to eating what ever I want, and not gaining weight. I don't know what I am now, but I can't afford to lose those 5kg.

Does anyone have any recepies that are high in healthy fat content, and very nutritious meals? I'm >this< close to just chucking steak/salmon/chicken into in a blender and drinking it.

I'm so sorry if this post sounds so whingy. I'm so tired I'm starting to forget things and I hate it.

Yesterday I purchased a slow cooker, and slow cooker things to cook. I hope this will give me enough energy.

[seira]

SUCCESS!!! I recommend a slow cooker. The meat falls apart (12 hours), and things like carrots are mosshy enough to eat. I'm so much damn chirpier, and happy now that I have a full belly :D :D :D

[finalexplosion]

Aim for higher calorie foods that will help you get enough nutrition without large quantities and without needing to chew.

Examples:
Avocado
Peanut butter
Mashed potato (add butter for extra calories)
Macaroni cheese
Rice pudding/oatmeal - you could add peanut butter or protein powder
Smoothies
Yoghurt (full fat Greek yoghurt for higher calories and protein)
Full fat milk

If your incisors are hurting, it is likely that they are moving Stick with it and it will get easier

Did you really include macaroni and cheese as nutrition? I was thinking more like Kefir/tuna/sweet potatos/steamed veggies.