Life with Braces
Eating, care, and sports guidance from board-certified Dr. Myers in Sacramento and Fair Oaks, CA
Now that you have braces, the real work begins—not just for your teeth, but for you. Proper care throughout treatment keeps everything on track and prevents setbacks that can extend your timeline. Board-certified orthodontist Dr. Christopher Myers at New Element Orthodontics in Sacramento and Fair Oaks, CA recommends following these guidelines to protect your appliances and stay comfortable.
Eating with Braces
The good news: you’ll return to all your favorite foods once treatment is done. The catch: certain foods can break brackets, bend wires, or damage bands, which means extra office visits and delayed progress. The key is knowing which foods are safe during treatment and which to avoid. With a little planning, eating with braces becomes second nature.
Foods to avoid
Certain categories damage braces more reliably than others:
- Chewy foods — bagels, licorice, gummy candies, dried fruit
- Crunchy foods — popcorn, chips, ice, hard pretzels
- Sticky foods — caramel, taffy, chewing gum, peanut butter (though creamy peanut butter is OK)
- Hard foods — nuts, hard candies, whole seeds
- Anything requiring you to bite directly into it — corn on the cob, apples, carrots, celery
If you’re craving an apple or carrot, slice it first. The extra minute prevents weeks of repair time.
Foods you can eat with braces
This list is longer and includes most of what you actually want:
- Dairy: soft cheese, yogurt, pudding, ice cream (without hard mix-ins), milkshakes
- Breads: soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins (nut-free), sandwich bread, crackers
- Grains: pasta, soft-cooked rice, oatmeal
- Proteins: ground meat, meatballs, soft-cooked chicken, tuna, salmon, eggs, lunch meats
- Vegetables: mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli, green beans, beans, sweet potato
- Fruits: applesauce, bananas, berries, melon, grapes
- Treats: soft cake, brownies, Jell-O, pudding, smoothies
Protein and soft whole grains keep you satisfied. The variety here is larger than many patients expect.
Soreness and tenderness
When you first get braces, your teeth, gums, lips, and cheeks may feel sore for a few days. This is normal and temporary. The sensation is pressure, not damage — your teeth are being moved.
To ease the soreness:
- Dissolve one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of lukewarm water, then swish and gargle (do not swallow) for a couple of minutes.
- Over-the-counter pain reliever (ibuprofen, acetaminophen) taken as directed helps.
- Apply orthodontic wax to any bracket or wire that pokes your cheek or lip — it cushions the sharp edge.
Your lips, cheeks, and tongue usually toughen within one to two weeks and the tenderness fades. Call our office if soreness lasts longer or worsens; Dr. Myers can make adjustments.
Loose teeth and loose wires
If your teeth feel loose during treatment, that’s exactly right. Braces must first loosen teeth from their sockets to move them. Once repositioned, they firm back up and remain stable.
If a wire or band comes loose, contact us as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can safely use the eraser end of a pencil or the back of a spoon to gently push the wire back into its slot. If the wire irritates your lip or cheek, cover it with wax or a damp cotton ball to relieve discomfort.
Caring for your appliances
Every bent bracket, broken band, or loose wire extends your treatment time. Wear all prescribed appliances — rubber bands, headgear, retainers — exactly as prescribed. Dr. Myers designs your treatment plan assuming consistent wear; skipping appliances throws off the timeline.
Playing sports with braces
Athletes: you can keep playing. Braces don’t prevent you from competing.
Do wear a mouthguard to protect both your teeth and your appliance from impact. Let Dr. Myers know what sport you play so he can recommend the right type of guard.
If a sports incident damages your appliance or knocks a tooth loose, check your mouth immediately and call our office right away. Temporary relief: apply wax to sharp edges or rinse with warm saltwater.
After braces: the Lifetime Retainer Program
Why retainers matter
Once your braces come off, your teeth want to drift back to their old positions. Retainers hold them in place while your gums and bone fully stabilize around each tooth. Skipping retainers undoes years of treatment in months.
Wear schedule
We ask that you wear your retainers full-time for the first six months after your braces or aligners come off. After that, switch to nightly wear for life. Yes, life. As we age, our jaws and teeth shift naturally; nights-for-life retainer wear keeps your investment stable.
New Element’s Lifetime Retainer Program
Rather than pay $600 per set of replacement retainers as needed, our Lifetime Retainer Program enrolls you once for $798, which includes a 3D digital scan and your first two replacement sets. After that, any replacement set costs just $50 (normally $600). If you replace sets regularly, the program saves thousands over a lifetime.
We offer flexible payment options to fit your budget.
Common Questions About Braces
How long will my teeth be sore?
Tenderness typically lasts three to seven days after braces are placed or adjusted. Your lips and cheeks may feel irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen. If soreness persists beyond two weeks or worsens, call us — Dr. Myers can make adjustments.
If I chew something hard by accident, is my treatment over?
One accident doesn’t ruin everything. If you break a bracket or bend a wire, contact us so we can repair it. We’ve seen it hundreds of times. Repeated damage, though, does add time to your treatment, so try to stick to the approved list.
Do I really have to wear retainers every night forever?
Yes. Your teeth naturally shift as you age, and retainers counteract that. Many patients skip retainers after a year or two and watch their teeth creep back to old positions. The Lifetime Retainer Program makes nightly wear affordable, so you can keep your smile as it should be.
Can I play contact sports with braces?
Yes, with a mouthguard. The guard protects both your teeth and your appliance. Let Dr. Myers know your sport so he can recommend the right style.
Schedule your consultation
Ready to get started? A consultation with Dr. Myers is the first step. We’ll answer all your questions about eating, care, and what to expect throughout your treatment.
Sacramento
Fair Oaks
Wearing Braces
