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runnergirl
10-10-2005, 01:29 PM
I got braces on my lower teeth last Thursday. On the plus side, I'm losing the weight I wanted to. But only because most of my normal foods have been eliminated-clif bars, kashi granola bars and cereals, apples, carrots, salad, chicken (all meat really), crusty ww bread, baked chips, crackers...

I'm currently living on yogurt, hommade yeast rolls, ice cream, over-ripe pears, bananas, prunes, cottage cheese, and scrambled eggs. I'm trying to keep the protien, fat, and carbs balanced, but this is getting old fast. Any ideas?

Hubby went and got a good quality blender for me this weekend, and I have some whey protein-smoothie recipies anyone? I can't get the whey to not be all clumpy and gross.

I sure hope straight teeth are worth this!

Irulan
10-10-2005, 01:34 PM
chicken, wheat bread? I hope the soreness goes away soon.
those foods are not forbidden by any orthodontist I've ever dealt with, and our family's teeth alone probably account for a year's worth of ski condo payments for our DDS. Give it some time: once the teeth reposition themselves and settle in, you should be back to normal except for the usual forbidden list. My kids would live on mashed potatoes for a few days after getting them tightened, then they'd be ok until the next visit.

~I.

Blueberry
10-10-2005, 01:38 PM
I had braces and didn't have to give up all of that. For the first week or so, my mouth hurt like h*** and I didn't want anything but soup :mad: :mad: . After that, though, I could eat anything except apples whole, corn on the cob, anything else that requires you to eat it whole and hard candy/gum. I ate basically normal foods - chicken, bread, lots of veggies, salads, etc. No problems.

Is this from your ortho, or because you're sore? If it's from your ortho, I would get a second opinion. I had my braces on for 2 years, and with that restrictive a list, I would worry about proper nutrition. Good luck and keep us posted...

DirtDiva
10-10-2005, 01:42 PM
:) The inside of your mouth will toughen up surprisingly quickly and it won't be long before you're eating normally again (including all the stuff they tell you not to eat, but that everyone does ;)). Yeah, the first few days are really kinda painful, and the first couple of weeks are a bit tender, but after that it's fine - you might be sore again for a day or two after an appointment, depending on what the orthodontist does, but nothing is ever as bad as those first few days. It will be worth it when you get them off! :D <--- See, nice and straight!

- tlkiwi, who would be tlbugsbunny if it weren't for 16 months and 29 days of braces (you'd think I was counting...)

runnergirl
10-10-2005, 02:24 PM
Yes, it's mostly due to the pain in the front teeth, plus the shredded interior of my mouth. Also I can't grind food in my molars until the teeth start moving because of how the anchors sit. It's been four days and I'm still living on advil-I'm guessing at least another three or four days till I can chew on the rear teeth. The cheeks have started healing, but my tounge is still a pulp on the sides. At least it's a good weight loss plan.

Irulan
10-10-2005, 02:42 PM
When my kid's bands were first put on, I was amazed at how much the teeth moved right away. The change was visible within HOURS. No wonder their mouths hurt!! But it didn't last.

jobob
10-10-2005, 03:06 PM
I lost 2 pants sizes in a few months thanks to my braces (like you, lowers only). It helped my hill climbing a bit. :D

SadieKate likes to dangle PayDay bars in front of me when we go riding. She's rather perverse that way.

That shredded feeling in the inside of my mouth has never really gone away, even after about 10 months with these stupid things. Sometimes it'll subside a bit just to flare up again with a vengance.

According to the latest estimate (*cough* lie *cough*) from my orthodontist, I should get them off in about 3 months. right...

SadieKate
10-10-2005, 03:16 PM
:o :( :o I'm sorry. Bubba started the PayDay thing and I didn't realize the pain issue. I have tried to mend my ways. Between your teeth, V's, Kim's and yellow's dietary complexities, and my failing memory . . . just wait until you're my age. ;) :D

jobob
10-10-2005, 03:19 PM
nooo, it's not a pain issue, it's just that I can't have chewy foods, especially caramel and nuts. Which for PayDay bars pretty much leaves the wrapper :p :D

I'm starting to fantasize about what I'm going to eat when I get these stinkers off ...PayDay bars, pecan pie, Xtra chunky peanut butter ... trouble is, if I'm not careful I might be Xtra chunky all over again :p

jobob
10-10-2005, 03:39 PM
But RG, if it helps any, I was back to chewing pretty normally after a few weeks, and I'm back to eating most types of food now - the only major exceptions being the nut and caramel food groups.

A lot of foods fall into the "more trouble than they're worth" category at the moment, since tey're such a hassle to either eat or get out of my braces later - corn on the cob, barbeque ribs (oh I do miss them!!) . In theory I shouldn't have popcorn either but it's not much of a problem nowadays (except I have to do an extra round of brushing to get the detrius out, ewwww).

As for your here & now, I found it was much easier to eat salad when I chopped it up finely (think tortilla filling).

Jo, fantasizing about BBQ ribs and corn on the cob & pecan pie, arrghhhh

annie
10-10-2005, 04:35 PM
You can eat popcorn, JoBob ????? :confused: :eek: :eek: That was the hardest food for me to give up. And I've tried to eat it........ the cleaning out of the braces afterwards is just not worth it!! (I have braces, upper and lower, and had an appliance in my upper mouth until just a few weeks ago.)

It has been 2 years and 8 months so far! :eek: :mad: And my estimate was for two years. So I no longer ask how much longer. I'll be done when I'm done. We are "fine-tuning" now. :rolleyes: I may eat nothing BUT popcorn for a few days to celebrate the removal day!!!

As for pain, it does get better. Your mouth never feels "normal" but you get used to how it does feel and don't notice it so much. I've been very careful what I eat........ I've rarely had anything break. My diet is pretty decent and there's not any problem eating enough variety of foods to feel healthy. There are always a few days after an appointment when it hurts again, but it goes away. (Was in this morning - am eating soft foods tonight, but I expect by tomorrow, it will be much better.)

Even tho' it has taken this long - and is yet to end - I have NO regrets. Before braces, there was never a photo of me smiling with my mouth open. I refused to do it. I HATED the way my teeth looked. Now, even with the braces in, I smile, teeth showing, braces flashing silver, and am fine with it. Very much worth it.

Oh yeah ---- I like the "forced" diet part of it, too! :rolleyes: :D :D Lost some unwanted pounds. Now to keep them off if the braces ever actually come out.

annie

fixedgeargirl
10-11-2005, 05:54 AM
It's been a long time since I had braces, but the four years I spent in them are firmly burned into my brain. (Yes, four years, largely due to a lack of "patient compliance". Like a self-conscious 14 year old girl is going to wear headgear to school!) I remember the pain after a tightening. It does subside. Did they give you the beeswax stuff to put on the bands where they rub the inside of cheeks? It does behoove you to let some callouses build up at the contact points, but sometimes enough is enough and you can use the wax to smooth things out.

It does get better!!!

DirtDiva
10-12-2005, 03:10 AM
Ack! Headgear! :eek: Thank goodness I only had to wear it at night! I totally cheered when the orodontist told me I didn't have to wear it anymore. It's been, hmmm, eleven years since I got my braces off and I still have scar tissue on the inside of my cheeks where the bits the headgear slotted into rubbed. As for the food groups, I ate them all and just got real good at sucking bits out of my braces afterward (a habit that took quite some time to break once the hardware had been removed).

SAMbike
05-31-2006, 12:33 PM
Hi,

I saw the post about foods and things to eat with braces and was wondering how things have progressed for you. I'm very interested in this because I just got braces on yesterday. Both upper and lower, and I have to wear rubber bands too! I've only eaten very soft foods. I cannot chew anything. I feel like going out and buying baby food. But I'm sure I'll be able to chew again one of these days... right? ;) If you have any advice/lessons learned over the past few months I'd love to learn from you.

I'm concerned about eating on long training rides and during races. Luckily I can take off the bands when I eat, then brush my teeth, and put them back on, but I really should wear my bands all the time, except for during meals, and everything I read says that you should not eat sugary foods and to brush immediately after eating.

So I'd love to hear how others with braces and bands deal with eating on training rides and during races. My normal ride foods are energy bars and fruits, and my race foods are Gu and Gatorade. How will this affect my teeth? Do you all actually remove your bands to eat during a ride and put them back on? Some of my rides are about 5-6 hours long.

thanks so much!
Susan

Bella
06-01-2006, 08:49 AM
I had adult braces (upper/lower) for almost three years. I was diligent about everything the ortho told me - which was to stay away from cracker jack and carmel only and that it was ok to deviate from his instruction (rubber bands nearly 24/7 except for eating), then I was to do it for valid reasons (like sports).

The food warnings are because most people are poor flossers and lax in general about teeth cleanings. With braces obviously you can't brush or floss as well - so the likelihood of plaque and food getting stuck is higher. I used a high end water pik type brush and for three years never had a cavity and ate what I wanted.

Given that your braces might be on for a year or two or more, a few hours without bands on the weekends etc are not going to derail your treatment.

If the inside of your lip is getting ripped to shreds, try the wax. Soothing relief.

If anything, the real testament to your involvement in your treatment is how often and well you wear your retainer. Your teeth WILL move back to their original position if not halted. Although I don't visit my ortho, I still wear my retainer 2x week at night. Sometimes after a stressful week, it fits very tightly....indicating they moved slightly.

Good luck and do know you can eat pretty much what you want.

crazybikinchic
06-01-2006, 08:00 PM
advice from someone with to many years in dentistry for a career. Wax.yes.
For the sores, warm salt water rinses will help it heal faster.

JoyfulGirl
06-03-2006, 07:26 AM
wasn't biking when I had my braces as a teen but was involved in a lot of sports.
Bananas were my friends.
individual cups of apple sauce
yogurt cups
cups of fruit cocktail
I hate jello but I'd put mandarin oranges in it and could eat it...
Anything that I could pretend was a liquid, shake up, and suck down out of a cup was great by me.
I'd super duper overboil chicken and shred the heck out of it
For meals at home mashed potatos were great. Drown em in gravy with meat bits or super shredded chicken again.
individual servings of oatmeal, toss them in a coffee cup and drown them in milk and drink them down, same with cream of wheat..

I think I -gained- weight during brace time because of an excessive fondness of creamy peanutbutter chocolate milkshakes ;)

The fist 2 weeks really were agony, then the 3 days after they were tightened. :/

The wax really helps when it's too much to bear, and it's handy to keep it around in case you break a wire or pop a bracket. It can be painful if it springs out and starts grinding away at your checks or gums. Handy to keep just in case...

It's probably gross but after quick snacks I'd rinse and spit.. Brush after meals but for snacks at track meets or anything... I was the super stealth rinse and spitter. The ortho never noticed if I was doing that, the only time he noticed was if I slacked off on twice daily flossing and 3 times a day brushing.. As long as I did that I was pretty good in his eyes.

I was noncompliant about my retainer and finally my ortho suggested a permanent retainer.. It is indeed -permanent- I have it these 12 years later still. But well worth it to not have to fuss with it and remember it. Just a thin metal band behind my back teeth. I wish my teeth weren't -quite- so straight even. It's almost abnormal, the regularity and perfect straightness. Strange how sometimes beauty's in the quirks ;)

Good luck with braces everyone who has em, not dissing the straight teeth. Just strange how nowdays people can have absolutely perfect looking teeth ;) I find myself admiring a pointy eye tooth now and again <G>

SAMbike
06-05-2006, 04:17 AM
Thanks so much for the advice and words of support from everyone! I *really* appreciate it!!!

Using a camelback while racing yesterday was quite an experience. I had to stick it waaaay back by my molars and try to gently squeeze... I wound up not drinking very much (only about 50 oz. during a 2.5 hour race) which isn't good. And getting Gu into my mouth... I realize I rely on my front teeth for so much! I'll get better at it I'm sure. :)

Many thanks again,
- Susan

annie
06-05-2006, 06:32 PM
And getting Gu into my mouth... I realize I rely on my front teeth for so much! I'll get better at it I'm sure. :) Susan


You definitely WILL get better at it...... You'll get used to metal in your mouth, and irritation; your mouth will get more accustomed to it, also, and not react so easily. You'll find you'll be able to eat almost anything, as long as you do it carefully and cut things into small pieces. The small pieces help quite a bit! Then you don't have to bite with the front teeth, just chew.

I've had braces, top and bottom, for three years, 4 months, and 8 days. Can you tell I'm counting?? :rolleyes: The back bands came off a week ago. The rest come off on June 19th!!!!! :D :D I am so excited. And so happy. And I do not regret for a single moment having to wear them for so long. It will be worth it, even tho' I still have to have some restorative work done. So hang in there, you'll be glad you've done this.

annie

Kitsune06
06-19-2006, 08:21 PM
Ack! Headgear! :eek: Thank goodness I only had to wear it at night! I totally cheered when the orodontist told me I didn't have to wear it anymore. It's been, hmmm, eleven years since I got my braces off and I still have scar tissue on the inside of my cheeks where the bits the headgear slotted into rubbed. As for the food groups, I ate them all and just got real good at sucking bits out of my braces afterward (a habit that took quite some time to break once the hardware had been removed).

I second this completely, though the only reason I ended up breaking that habit was getting my tongue pierced.


That said, it never feels 'normal' and you'll have that sorta rough feeling along your cheeks and insides of your lips, but the anchors (around your molars?) will eventually feel fairly natural... except for tune-ups. Oddly, the entire experience made tongue-piercing a non-event for me.


Using a camelback while racing yesterday was quite an experience. I had to stick it waaaay back by my molars and try to gently squeeze... I wound up not drinking very much (only about 50 oz. during a 2.5 hour race) which isn't good.

I got really good at using my tongue to apply pressure to things like that, squishing it against the roof of my mouth. If you're wearing a bite-plate as with headgear, that might be interesting, but with the bare roof, it should work out for you. It gets scraped a little until it toughens up (the roof of your mouth, that is) but it's a very valuable skill.

Crankin
06-25-2010, 04:03 AM
This is why I did Invisalign... I had regular braces as a kid for like 4 years. After that and 4 extractions (I have a teeny mouth), my bottom teeth still went back to their original position. One tooth was totally behind another.
I wore the Invisalign for about a year and nine months. The good thing was with them is that I just didn't wear the aligners when I was riding and drinking anything sugary (water is OK). The few hours I had them out didn't seem to affect the course of treatment. It's been 3 years and I still wear my retainer aligners when I go to sleep. I was told that I could wean off of them, but any time I do, I notice my teeth start moving back to the original position. Very slight, but I notice it. Basically, the dentist told me that this always happens, no matter what kind of braces you have and you pretty much have to wear a retainer a few hours a day forever.
Whe i saw my son last weekend, I saw that despite his braces at ages 10-13, his bottom teeth are totally out of line and basically look like mine did before the Invisalign.

indysteel
06-25-2010, 05:00 AM
Not that I don't find this subject interesting--I've been wearing braces since October of 2007--but I always find it odd when an old thread on a random topic gets revived. Short of doing a search for braces, I'm not sure how one would even find it.

That said, I can eat just about anything now so long as I'm careful and if don't mind spending some time cleaning my teeth after my meal. I had 4 extractions last September and that was tough going for a while, but even that got better after a couple of months. Sadly, I've not lost any weight because when I am having trouble, ice cream is my best friend. :rolleyes:

lph
06-25-2010, 05:00 AM
Oo, this thread freaked me out a little. My son is small and slight, but has BIG HUMONGOUS TEETH, thanks to both me and his father. And they're coming out ALL OVER THE PLACE.

I find it charming, and that big eyetooth completely on the outside of all of the other teeth gives him a wonderful, quirky vampire look... but braces, here they come.

Guess I'll just have to snap plenty of pics of him now before the vampire look goes away.

bmccasland
06-25-2010, 05:12 AM
I had front teeth that were shifted slightly over, thus my canine (eyetooth) stuck out in front. I wore braces on my top teeth, with monthly tightenings to march my teeth into proper position. Once a month, I ate a soft food diet for a few days. But the hardest thing as I recall (it was a *few* years ago :rolleyes:), was playing my flute - curling my lip properly was difficult, especially when my teeth were tightened - that dental wax was my friend. Got my braces off during finals week my freshman year of college. That was SO much fun!

ColoKate
06-25-2010, 10:12 AM
I had adult braces a few years ago and I LIVED off wraps and burritos because they were so soft and easy to eat...

I did whole wheat tortillas with eggs and cheese for breakfast, adding sauteed veggies like peppers, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes and onions diced small. Mashed potatoes are good in these.

I loved wraps for lunch with stuff like turkey, a spread like hummus or cream cheese and whatever veggies/greens I could chew without pain.

For dinner I made burritos out of beans, cheese, sometimes rice, cooked or poached and shredded chicken that didn't take a lot of chewing. Or just no meat and avocado instead.

I have a slight built and was afraid of losing weight and these were good combos of healthy carbs, protein and fat according to my doc and ortho. Finding really soft food was so hard for me and my braces just killed. Good luck!

e3rdpower
10-31-2012, 06:24 AM
Yes, I'm reviving an old thread because I searched for "braces". ;)

I just had ceramic braces placed yesterday, top and bottom. Anticipated wear time one year. For me, it was a gum health issue, the crowding was causing recession. Ack.

All these tips have been very helpful, as I'm in the "I can't chew anything" phase. Thank goodness for my Blendtec. One thing I'm still trying to figure out is how I will open gels while riding. Generally I use my teeth to tear open the package. It seems that opening ahead of time could cause a messy jersey pocket. Bananas are good, and hopefully I'll be able to eat those soon, but can't carry too many of those at once. Any ideas/suggestions are welcome! (My ride this morning gave valuable lessons already. Do not pull on the water bottle valve with your teeth, as I was accustomed to. And drinking is a little interesting.) I ride mostly road, but do mountain bike as well. I already have a mouth guard en route. Hadn't thought about the Camelbak issue until I read this thread!

Thanks in advance!

indysteel
10-31-2012, 07:03 AM
Yes, I'm reviving an old thread because I searched for "braces". ;)

I just had ceramic braces placed yesterday, top and bottom. Anticipated wear time one year. For me, it was a gum health issue, the crowding was causing recession. Ack.

All these tips have been very helpful, as I'm in the "I can't chew anything" phase. Thank goodness for my Blendtec. One thing I'm still trying to figure out is how I will open gels while riding. Generally I use my teeth to tear open the package. It seems that opening ahead of time could cause a messy jersey pocket. Bananas are good, and hopefully I'll be able to eat those soon, but can't carry too many of those at once. Any ideas/suggestions are welcome! (My ride this morning gave valuable lessons already. Do not pull on the water bottle valve with your teeth, as I was accustomed to. And drinking is a little interesting.) I ride mostly road, but do mountain bike as well. I already have a mouth guard en route. Hadn't thought about the Camelbak issue until I read this thread!

Thanks in advance!

I hate gels myself, but I do believe that they make plastic flasks for them. But even with those, you might be tempted to open the flask with your teeth. I've had my braces off for a little more than a year, and if memory serves, opening a water bottle with my teeth was only an issue when my teeth were actually sore (which was often enough, as I had my braces on for 4 years and had lots of adjustments). I had no issue using a Camelback with my braces.

As for on-bike food, I mostly stuck to bananas, Larabars, certain nuts (I could not eat whole almonds with my braces; they're just too hard) and dried fruit. But that's what I tend to eat anyway. The only thing that gave me pause was Clif Bloks. They can be tricky with braces.

Really, once the pain subsides, you should be able to eat fairly normally. When you get an adjustment, take a pain reliever before the appointment. That helps a lot. Also, stay hydrated. I found that when I got dehydrated, I was much more prone to cuts in my mouth from the braces. Keep wax containers everywhere. In your purse, on your bike, in your office, by your bed, etc., etc. Also keep Oragel or similar product handy. When you have a cut in your mouth, it helps create a protective barrier over it.

Good luck! You won't regret doing this for yourself.

e3rdpower
10-31-2012, 07:11 AM
I've never worn braces, but I've also never used my teeth to open a gel. I use my fingers. ;)

If I'm eating a gel, it's usually in a fast group ride, so I only take one hand off the bars. If I'm stopped or by myself where I can sit up and ride without hands it wouldn't be an issue for sure.


I hate gels myself, but I do believe that they make plastic flasks for them. But even with those, you might be tempted to open the flask with your teeth. I've had my braces off for a little more than a year, and if memory serves, opening a water bottle with my teeth was only an issue when my teeth were actually sore (which was often enough, as I had my braces on for 4 years and had lots of adjustments). I had no issue using a Camelback with my braces.

As for on-bike food, I mostly stuck to bananas, Larabars, certain nuts (I could not eat whole almonds with my braces; they're just too hard) and dried fruit. But that's what I tend to eat anyway. The only thing that gave me pause was Clif Bloks. They can be tricky with braces.

Really, once the pain subsides, you should be able to eat fairly normally. When you get an adjustment, take a pain reliever before the appointment. That helps a lot. Also, stay hydrated. I found that when I got dehydrated, I was much more prone to cuts in my mouth from the braces. Keep wax containers everywhere. In your purse, on your bike, in your office, by your bed, etc., etc. Also keep Oragel or similar product handy. When you have a cut in your mouth, it helps create a protective barrier over it.

Good luck! You won't regret doing this for yourself.

Thanks very much! I'm actually going to put some wax on after I brush...it took me about an hour to get some eggs and oatmeal down. I was hoping the Larabars would be OK, as they are also a normal food for me. I've already given away some KIND bars-too sticky and pieces of nuts are large and I was worried about that. I was thinking about the Clif Bloks since I could open those ahead of time, but the sticky factor definitely gives me pause. If you were able to open your water bottle with your teeth, then maybe I'll be able to pre-tear the gel packet a little bit and then open the rest of the way with my teeth. I do have a gel flask which has a bite-valve like a CamelBak, no real top so I'll try that too.

Becky
10-31-2012, 07:30 AM
Tape the gel packet to your bike's top tube? I've heard that triathletes do this and just tear them off and open in one step.

indysteel
10-31-2012, 07:44 AM
Right now, you're very sore. Certain things that going to be difficult for the next week or so but will become easier as the soreness lessens. As you get used to the braces, you will be able to comfortably chew most foods. You just have to be careful. I could eat things like whole nuts (minus almonds), so long as I didn't just chomp down on them. I ate apples, but sliced them first. I ate popcorn, but was careful about avoiding any kernels. I ate corn on the cob, but only in private because it took a good twenty minutes to clean my teeth. There's a learning curve, but you'll figure it out. But the first couple of weeks are admittedly tough. At the time, I was riding 200+ miles a week and living on yogurt and soup was hard, as I needed to consume a lot of calories to keep up. I was starving at times, and that induced a few breakdowns. But it got easier; I swear.

After an adjustment, you'll be sore for 24-48 hours, but it's easy to work around it. I made a lot of soup and pasta. Slossing some ice water in your mouth can also help with pain. I had a couple of instances where I had more major work done during the time I wore braces, e.g., I had four teeth pulled two years into it. That sucked, and I was dependent on Motrin. If you do use OTC pain relievers, be mindful that they're hard on your kidneys, especially with exercise. Drink lots of waters to help your kidneys out.

Let me know if you have any questions or need reassurance about something.

GLC1968
10-31-2012, 10:10 AM
Tape the gel packet to your bike's top tube? I've heard that triathletes do this and just tear them off and open in one step.

Yep, this. Tape just the top of the gel to the top tube (you can layer them if you need a bunch for a ride) and just rip one off at a time. The top stays taped to the tube and you get just an open packet in your hand. Works best with electrical tape.

Becky
10-31-2012, 10:44 AM
Glad to hear that this works! I intend to try it for mountain bike racing next season.

e3rdpower
10-31-2012, 12:13 PM
At the time, I was riding 200+ miles a week and living on yogurt and soup was hard, as I needed to consume a lot of calories to keep up. I was starving at times, and that induced a few breakdowns. But it got easier; I swear.

Thanks, Indy. This is a big concern for me as well. I just finished a 2 month training block of 15-16 hour weeks (road, likely 250-280 miles ish). Thank goodness right now I'm in a lower volume, going back to the gym phase, but I'm still hungry. Base training will be coming up soon though, so I'm hopeful that by then getting adequate calories won't be an issue.


Yep, this. Tape just the top of the gel to the top tube (you can layer them if you need a bunch for a ride) and just rip one off at a time. The top stays taped to the tube and you get just an open packet in your hand. Works best with electrical tape.

Perfect. Thank you very much!

jessmarimba
10-31-2012, 05:26 PM
This is just a random comment regarding food and braces - I haven't read the entire thread. But within hours of getting mine off, I made my mother take me to the candy shop in Williamsburg so I could get a caramel apple. I'd wanted one for three years.

(I'm not supposed to eat apples without cutting them, anyway, since one of my front teeth is mostly fake and is eventually going to snap off again, but that was a worthwhile exception).

e3rdpower
11-01-2012, 04:19 AM
Apples are definitely high on my list of favorite foods, so having the ability to eat them at all (even cut up) I'm looking forward to!

Also, a friend of mine told me about the Gelrilla grip-another option for holding/opening gels.

http://www.gelrillagrip.com/

indysteel
11-11-2012, 04:39 AM
e3rdpower, how are adjusting to your braces? Has the worst of the pain subsided yet?

e3rdpower
11-11-2012, 02:53 PM
e3rdpower, how are adjusting to your braces? Has the worst of the pain subsided yet?

Thanks for checking on me! (I'm Erin, by the way.)

Actually, I still can't chew. I have very little discomfort when I'm not trying to chew, but chewing is very uncomfortable and the teeth feel "wobbly." I also had an extraction of a lower incisor last week, so that most likely is contributing to everything. My molars are still not touching, as I gather it that may continue as my bite is corrected. Tomorrow will be 2 weeks since I was braced, so they're still fresh. I don't have an adjustment until the 26th, so I'm really hoping to be able to eat a little on Thanksgiving, since I'm cooking it all!

So, still soft foods for me for now. Mashed cauliflower has by far become my favorite veggie.

indysteel
11-11-2012, 03:55 PM
Erin, I'm so sorry you're still hurting. I can't remember how long it took for the pain the lessen after the braces first went on. I didn't have teeth pulled until a couple years in (after we'd tried to avoid it). I had four pulled at once. One on each side both top and bottom. That part of the treatment was hard.

I hope it gets better soon! The holidays are a rough time to adjust to them. I got mine on in late September. It was the first and only year I resisted all the Halloween candy!

e3rdpower
11-30-2012, 04:58 AM
5 week post braces update:

I had my first adjustment on Monday, and it went fine. The actual changing of the wires was quite uncomfortable, but afterward the discomfort was no different than it had been. My teeth are moving at a pretty rapid rate, which of course is awesome, but is also why I'm still having so much difficulty chewing. It's not even pain, they're just too loose to properly chew, and the only area I can chew at all is in the back left side. I was able to eat some things at Thanksgiving, just cut into little tiny pieces.

I'm riding back to back centuries this weekend, and am going to use Skratch in the bottles, EFS liquid shots and honey on the bike. I have small packets of almond butter that I will also take and will pick up chocolate milk/banana when we stop. Hopefully that will work :)

indysteel
11-30-2012, 05:50 AM
5 week post braces update:

I had my first adjustment on Monday, and it went fine. The actual changing of the wires was quite uncomfortable, but afterward the discomfort was no different than it had been. My teeth are moving at a pretty rapid rate, which of course is awesome, but is also why I'm still having so much difficulty chewing. It's not even pain, they're just too loose to properly chew, and the only area I can chew at all is in the back left side. I was able to eat some things at Thanksgiving, just cut into little tiny pieces.

I'm riding back to back centuries this weekend, and am going to use Skratch in the bottles, EFS liquid shots and honey on the bike. I have small packets of almond butter that I will also take and will pick up chocolate milk/banana when we stop. Hopefully that will work :)

I'm sorry that you're still having some issues. Early on in my treatment, my ortho used pretty light wires and explained to me that his first order of business was to sort of "gently wake my teeth up." While I saw movement from the start, it was pretty gradual, as he purposely didn't start using heavier wires until I'd been wearing my braces for a few months. I don't remember my teeth ever feeling all that loose. That might be because my teeth were so crowded to begin with, but also wonder if your ortho is using a different approach and is starting off with heavier wires to get more immediate results. You might talk to your ortho about your discomfort.

e3rdpower
12-01-2012, 02:46 PM
I honestly have no issues with and will deal with the loose teeth if it means wearing the braces for only 12 months, which was my original "quote." My teeth were crowded, but by having the lower incisor extracted it gave room for movement. My husband and I are going on a cruise next November and I *really* want to be brace-free.

I rode 100 miles today and did well with fueling; using 4 bottles of Skratch, 4 servings of EFS liquid shot (I opened the flask and left it open-made for a little stickiness but not horrific), a homemade liquid gel with honey, coconut oil, water and Lite Salt in a reused EFS liquid shot container, 100 calorie almond butter packet and a small chocolate milk.

indysteel
12-01-2012, 03:09 PM
I totally understand your desire to get them off sooner rather than later! I wish I'd had even a remote possibility for a short term.