What should I do if my braces hurt?

Braces can hurt, especially at the beginning.

If your mouth is sore because the braces are moving your teeth around to make them straight, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen to help. Just ask your mom or dad or your orthodontist first.

If your mouth hurts because your wires or brackets are poking you, hopefully by now you know you can use Gishy Goo! Gishy Goo is a soft, squishy material that you can put on your braces to keep them from poking you.

What can I eat with braces?

Your orthodontist will probably give you a list of foods you can and can’t eat with braces. You’ll want to follow these rules so your braces don’t break. If they do, you’ll have to go in for another visit, you might have to wear your braces longer, and your parents might be upset because it costs money to get them fixed.

With braces you shouldn’t eat hard, crunchy, or sticky foods like corn on the cob, apples, carrots, caramel, and taffy. You also shouldn’t chew gum.

How do I keep food out of my braces?

Sorry, but it's easy for food to get stuck in your braces. To keep them from getting gross you'll probably want to brush your teeth after each time you eat. Opal Orthodontics, the same people who make Gishy Goo, also make two great products that can help keep your braces clean. One is the Smilebrush, which is an extra soft toothbrush that can clean around your brackets and wires easily. The other product is Opalpix, which are plastic toothpicks. They get food out from between your teeth well since flossing is harder with braces too. Ask your orthodontist if you'd like to try either Smilebrushes or Opalpix.

I have a friend who had white spots on her teeth after she had braces. Will that happen to me?

People with braces have about 5 times more bacteria on their teeth than people without braces. That’s because it’s so hard to keep your teeth clean with all those wires and brackets.

In extreme cases, if you don’t brush your teeth enough you may get white spots. This is called calcification.

To make sure you don’t get spots and your teeth stay nice and healthy you should brush regularly and make sure you see your dentist twice a year. If you do, you shouldn’t have any problems.

Can I play musical instruments with braces?

Yes. If the insides of your lips and cheeks get irritated while you’re playing a reed or brass instrument, put a small dab of Gishy Goo over the area that hurts. It may take a little while to get used to, but it will help keep you comfortable while you play your instrument.

Can I play sports with braces?

Yes, you can play sports with braces. You can put Gishy Goo over your teeth to help you from getting bumps or cuts inside your mouth. Your orthodontist may also recommend a mouth guard. Either way, braces should not get in your way.