If you have never had dental appliances in your mouth, getting braces will be a whole new experience for you. You need to know what to expect for the first few days you have braces. While you might be a little uncomfortable, you will get used to your new braces quickly.

Expect Some Initial Discomfort

Braces work by tightening the wires in between brackets to gradually move your teeth into their correct positions. The orthodontist will cement the brackets to your teeth and string wires from bracket to bracket. Due to your teeth not being used to wires or brackets, you will probably experience some discomfort for the first few days your braces are on.

You can help alleviate the discomfort by taking over-the-counter pain relievers, following the instructions from your orthodontist, and eating soft foods that you don’t have to chew. Some patients prefer warm foods, such as mashed potatoes; while other patients prefer cold foods, like Jell-O or ice cream.

Expect Your Tooth Cleaning to Take Longer

Brushing your teeth with braces shouldn’t take you much longer than it normally does, but flossing will take you longer because you have to floss your teeth underneath the braces. Your orthodontist will give you flossers, which will help you thread dental floss under and around your wires and brackets.

If you have trouble with working the flossers around your braces, you may want to opt for electric or battery-operated flossing tools. These are great for everyone, but they are especially helpful if you wear braces.

Foods to Avoid

Now that you have your braces, you will need to brush and floss between meals. Take a small toothbrush and floss with you when you aren’t at home. Also, if you love hard fruit such as apples, or hard, crunchy veggies like celery or carrots, you will need to cut them into small pieces so that you don’t break your braces. You’ll also need to avoid some foods, such as sticky foods. Save the gum and caramel for when your braces come off.