Braces - what to expect

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DC (14) is getting braces fitted next week. She's nervous and doesn't want to talk to me about it. But she has decided that she will still go ahead.

What to expect? Is it really that painful? Blisters?
Diet really that restricted for the duration?

For the first few days what food would work, just soft stuff and soup?

3 years of braces here. first few weeks are not brilliant, it feels completely unnatural having a bunch of metal in your mouth. You feel like your face is swollen and your lips look huge but after a while you just forget they are there to be honest.

First couple days stick to soft foods and yes food will get caught between her braces and she might get embarrassed by that but it’s completely normal just have mouth wash on hand to use after each meal.
foods to avoid- hard and chewy sweets, apples (learnt that the hard way) harder breads like baguettes, no chewing gum I can not stress this enough it’s not worth it, popcorn.
foods that are fine- anything softer, mash potatoes, eggs, cooked veg (try to avoid raw as they’re harder) wraps etc.
Please stress the importance of cleaning, I knew people that didn’t clean there teeth well when they had braces and when they were removed there was a white spot on each tooth where the braces had been attached to.

The first week or two she will complain of pain where the braces are rubbing on her inner cheek and lips, may have some swelling and a little bleeding but eventually the skin hardens a little and gets use to them. Also watch out for the stray wires that stick out the back ends, the orthodontist will trim them back as much as possible but it will catch. They give you a mouldable glue for this to stick over the top but at some point you’ll run out or lose it so in an emergency situation use the red outer casing you get on babybells, just heat it up by rolling it in your fingers and you’ll be able to work with it.

lastly they may attach rubber bands on the back set of tracks between the top and bottom row of teeth, almost forcing your jaw shut. This is painful but so important, I always forgot to put them on, or just chose not to because they hurt but they pushed back my braces removal by a year or so. Just try to keep her positive and remind her it’ll all be worth it in the long run as she’ll have lovely teeth for life and this is really just a bump in the road.
Hope this helps sorry it was long 😂

Thanks Bright - I've a 13 yr old heading towards this in November.

Thank you @Brightyellowone it's really helpful good advice.
Popcorn and gym, her favourite things.

Give ibuprofen before the braces go on , or are tightened, and paracetamol afterwards. My DD kept topped up with painkillers for a couple of days after they were fitted and needed soft foods then too. But adjusted remarkably quickly and now they're off she can confirm the pain was worth it! Good luck

Buy the wax you can get (available in Boots) my DD carries this around as she occasionally gets sores from where they rub and this immediately alleviates it. The first month was not pleasant, she cried the first week and food was a trauma!

She just had them fitted and really upset. I feel so sorry for her.

What snacks are ok? I said grapes, she seems to think no. How about rice cakes? Any other suggestions?

Sorry she's so upset, poor love. It's tough but worth it. Anything soft is good for a snack eg porridge, eggs, yoghurt, ice cream, banana. Grapes should be ok but don't push it if she's worried. A lot of it is just about getting used to them and what you can or can't eat- DD is 18 months in and has worked out a method for eating everything, even toffee, corn on the cob, whole apples etc etc- once the braces feel a bit less alien she'll start to feel a bit more able to judge it.

One thing that helped DD was having all her kit (mouthwash, mini brushes, wax) in a nice little bag in her school bag- made her feel a bit more in control of it all.

My daughter is heading this way. Can teenagers get Invisalign? They look less painful!

They can but not on the NHS
It is painful at first but they adapt quickly

If it's any consolation i had a first date with a guy i fancied the pants off, just 6 days after i had my braces fitted (at 13). We went to the cinema and snogged pretty much non-stop through the film. So that's not an issue.

Def no popcorn though. Anything bitty is annoying because it gets stuck. Maybe get some dental sticks

My dd has the lowest pain threshold ever, I was dreading her having braces, but they've been nowhere near as bad as I feared. She hasn't had blisters, and only one 'incident' with a stuck Hula hoop! The only food she has really had to give up is corn on the cob and apples.

My DD has braces. She's meant to clean her teeth after lunch, and I did set her up with a little bag with toothbrush, paste etc, but she says the school loos are so disgusting that she would catch something if she were to clean her teeth there. Is it OK to leave the lunchtime tooth cleaning until she gets home at 4ish, or must she brave the school loos?