Life with Braces

Orthodontic Treatment is a Two-Way Street

Cooperation

We need your help and cooperation! Your cooperation is the biggest factor in completing your treatment on schedule. If you have any questions, contact our office to schedule your appointment with Dr. Turke, your experienced Brandon FL Orthodontist.

Good Brushing is Essential!

• Do brush your teeth and gums before breakfast, after every meal and snack, and before going to sleep.
• Do not forget to floss too!… usually just before bedtime.
• Do not play with your appliances either with your tongue, fingers, or any objects like pens or pencils.
• Do call us if your braces break.

Eating Instructions

Foods to Avoid:

• Chewing gum of any type or brand
• Sticky, gummy, and hard candies
• Nuts of any type
• Chewing on ice or bones of any type
• Crunchy foods
• Corn chips
• Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.

Foods Allowed:

When you first get your braces, you may not be able to bite down all the way or chew anything without biting down on your braces and possibly causing your braces to break or even cracking your teeth! So, as your teeth start to move around, there are different levels of softness of food you will be able to eat. When your bite starts to improve, you may then move up to the next level of softness when choosing food that you can eat.

Level 1: Suggested soft-food diet such as:
Smoothies, Applesauce
Mashed potatoes/yams
Yogurt, Cottage cheese
Soups, broth (not chunky)
Oatmeal, Grits, Scrambled eggs
Cream of "everything"
Ice-Cream!!, Puddings

Level 2: Suggested soft-food diet such as (BUT MUST BE CUT INTO BITE-SIZE PIECES):
Soft pasta, Spaghetti, Macaroni & cheese, Sloppy joes, Soft fish
Egg salad, Tuna, Peanut butter & jelly sandwich on soft bread
Banana bread, Muffins, Cornbread, etc.

Level 3: Suggested food such as (BUT MUST BE CUT INTO BITE-SIZE PIECES):
Fruits and vegetables - must be cut into bite-size pieces
Soft chicken, Fish, Hamburger, Soft pizza - small bites, no crust
Corn-on-the-cob (kernels must be removed from cob)
Soft bread or rolls, but absolutely NO BAGELS!