Life with Braces in Pensacola and Pace, FL

At our office, our patients are treated like family. And like family, we want you to have the most successful treatment possible—and the most beautiful smile! During your initial braces application, we will provide literature to explain everything you need to know about your life with braces, including what foods to avoid and how to provide care at home. We’re here for you every step of the way, so don’t hesitate to ask if you have a question!

Eating with Braces

It’s actually surprising how many foods you can actually eat while wearing braces! The foods you should avoid are only limited to a few things like hard candies, chewy foods, and foods that are known to stick such as bubble gum, sour candies, and extra crunchy granola bars. Popcorn can be a little dangerous, but there are alternatives for that, such as puff popcorn without the kernels! You should also take care when eating corn on the cob and apples are on the list, but it isn’t impossible to have these treats; it’s in the way that you eat them. Cut the corn off the cob to prevent the added upward and downward pressure on the teeth. For apples, cut them into slices and bite-sized pieces.

We want to protect your teeth and braces at all cost to prevent breakage or damage that would create discomfort and add time to your treatment. The sooner your braces are off, the sooner you can go back to enjoying all the chewy, sticky foods you desire!

Home Care

Patients with braces should brush three times a day and floss at least once, just like patients without braces!

It’s actually much easier to brush and floss around braces than most people think. During your braces appointment, we will go over in detail exactly how you should brush and floss, including how to go over and under each bracket, how to get to the hard to reach spots, and what can happen if you don’t brush well with braces on.

Dealing with Discomfort

While we do everything we can to make your orthodontic treatment as comfortable as possible, discomfort is a part of having braces. We’re moving the roots of the teeth through the bone they’re surrounded by. This can cause pain and be uncomfortable. We suggest eating a soft diet after getting your braces on and after each adjustment. This is completely dependent on your comfort level, of course. You can also take whatever pain reliever you use when you have a headache, following the directions on the bottle.

If any part of your braces or appliance breaks, save the appliance or bracket and bring it to our Pensacola or Pace orthodontic office during your next appointment. Better yet, call our office to see if we can get you in sooner for repair. We also have a 24 hour, 365 days a year hotline that connects you with an assistant from our office, who can either walk you through a way to relieve discomfort until we can see you or meet you in our office for a “quick fix” after hours until Dr. Brooks can see you in person.