what it's like wearing braces || tips & tricks

I got my braces put on November 2016. I've almost been wearing them a year and my orthodontist said I'd be wearing them anywhere from 18-24 months.
My teeth were kind of bad. My bottom teeth were VERY crooked and I had a SEVERE overbite.

The first thing I had to do (even before I got my braces put on) was get spacers. Spacers are harmless looking blue rubber band looking things that fit between your back teeth. They don't look like much, but OH MAN DO THEY HURT! I think I feasted on applesauce the whole time I wore them which was one week. Just thinking about eating potato chips made me cringe. I tried eating soft noodles, but even they hurt.
Maybe it was just me because my brother (who had his spacers on the same time as I did) said that they hurt for a few days, but then weren't too terrible. So I guess everybody's different.

Getting braces put on wasn't really that bad. They took the spacers out and then cleaned my teeth to get them ready for my braces. I WAS VERY NERVOUS! But like I said earlier, it really wasn't that bad. They had the braces put on in an hour and I was soon going home.
It took quite a while to get used to them. And yes, my teeth were sore for a few days (definitely nothing like the pain I felt with the spacers) but I was eating regular food before I knew it.
Braces feel like candy stuck to your teeth. When I first got them put on I just kept rubbing my tongue across them.
Cleaning your teeth with braces is TOUGH!!!! I think it took me literally an hour to proxy, brush, floss, and rinse the first night. But don't worry, you get faster with practice. I am now cleaning all of my teeth in less than ten minutes! GO ME!!!

I go to my orthodontist approximately every other month. And I am pretty sure I have the BEST orthodontist EVER!! Everybody is so nice and sweet. And they have this cool thing where you get a card (kind of like a rewards card) and every time you go to your appointment you get points for things like clean teeth, healthy gums, wearing rubber bands, etc. You also get points for doing contests on their webpage! You can exchange your points for bags, t-shirts, hoodies, and gift cards. I've made over $150 doing the rewards thing! IT'S PRETTY AWESOME!!!

I started wearing rubber bands in August. They made my teeth a little sore at first, but now I'm used to them. You wear them day AND night and only take them off for eating. I change mine out 2-3 times a day, depending on the day.

I've heard lots of people say different things about what foods to eat, but I'm going with the majority.

 DON'T EAT/DRINK:

caramel (or any other kind of sticky candy)
popcorn
gum (bubble gum or just plain old chewing gum)
REALLY crunchy foods (some potato chips, etc.)
lots of carbonated drinks (it's alright every once and a while, but DEFINITELY not every day)

So, I guess you've had a small peak into my braces life. And since A LOT of you girls out there are wearing braces or will be getting them in the future, I thought I could share a few tips and tricks I've learned since I got them (almost) a year ago.


1. Brush (at least) 2x a day, Floss 1x, proxy after EVERY. SINGLE. MEAL., rinse with mouth wash 1x a day, and DO NOT FORGET TO WEAR THOSE RUBBER BANDS (it WILL prolong your treatment)!

2. Use a waterpik. Using a waterpik has REALLY helped me out. It gets those hard to get to places that your tooth brush can't reach. I HIGHLY recommend that you purchase one if you have braces.

3. Get a bag that fits in your purse and fill it with a toothbrush, proxy, wax, and Tylenol. IT WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE!
(Also, make sure to keep your wax close after you get your braces put on or have them tightened. If you don't, you'll wish you had xD)

4. DON'T TAKE WHITENING TREATMENT WHILE YOU ARE WEARING BRACES. Your teeth will get white, all except that part of the tooth that is under your bracket, so it will look quite silly when you get your braces removed. So wait to have your whitening treatment until AFTER you get your braces off.

5. Take Tylenol or Ibuprofen about an hour before your orthodontist appointments. It helps A LOT!

6.  Just take care of them. I know that is a broad category, but it's the best one I have. The better you take care of your braces, the faster you can get them off!!!

 

Hopefully these tips have helped you out (I know they've sure helped me out). And remember time goes by fast. I feel like I just had my braces put on, but it's going on a year. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
I am so excited to get my braces off. NEXT YEAR, GUYS!!! YAY!!!

 

Do/did you have braces? When do/did you get yours? When do/did you get them taken off? Do you use any of these tips? Do you have any other tips I didn't mention?