Is my pekin bantam male or female?

[bluekarin]

My son went for his ortho appointment today and has come home with rubber spacers in to create room for his brace fitting next week. He has been told not to each anything chewy with his back molars and as he can't eat much with his front teeth, hence needing a brace, he is slightly stuck as to what he can eat. I have just done him some instant noodles which he slurped okay, but he can't really have that for school. I am thinking pasta salads and things like that. He has been told he can't have any fizzy drinks whilst the brace is in which will be hard as he loves his Pepsi Max

 

Any other top brace tips would be much appreciated. Thanks

[Minnie&Moose]

Not sure I've got any suggestions for things that work with braces - but my son has managed to break his multiple times on a variety of different, apparently OK foods, because of the size of the bites he takes! Things to avoid though, through bitter experience, are pizza crusts, toast crusts, apples (he can manage apple slices OK), and raw carrots (grated is OK). Oh, and panforte is an absolute no no braces, panforte and wire cutters feature very prominently in my memories of last Christmas

[Olly]

I think that may merit a fuller post, Minnie&Moose! Sorry, never had braces so I can't offer advice, I'm sure it'll be worth it in the end though.

[Minnie&Moose]

Yes, it's an interesting experience taking a set of wire cutters to your child's mouth! I stupidly didn't look up before answering in the affirmative when he asked 'OK if I eat this?' . Needless to say it was Christmas Day, no orthodontic advice anywhere to be found, and the sight of a distraught teen hyperventilating as he tried to extricate himself from a mess of half masticated chocolate panforte and rapidly unravelling wires from braces on both sets of teeth (which then began knitting themselves into an interesting wire sculpture) was one of those parenting moments that is likely to linger on in my memory for a long time to come. Wish I'd taken some pictures now - good blackmail material for when he's trying to impress a future partner

[Geoid]

Sandwiches are fine, easy to eat fillings such as tuna, ham, grated cheese etc (no chicken though as that can be quite chewy. Just use plain sliced loaf. Pasta salads, soups, noodles etc are also good!

[chickencam]

I was going to suggest a wide neck flask of hearty soup. Soups with pearl barley in fill you up pretty well. My younger two both had braces, they managed most things and the only thing that they were told never to have was chewing gum. YD who loves pork crackling even managed to eat it very carefully. He will probably find it easier when he has the full braces fitted. The most important thing that he must do is clean them carefully otherwise the teeth can be left with permanent staining. That was what worried me most with DS but he was very good and used a mouthwash each day too. He was more desperate to get better teeth than YD it has made so much difference to his confidence.

 

Make sure that you have a good supply of paracetamol for the few days after initial fitting and each tightening because they get very achy teeth at these times.

[Lewis]

Ahh, I remember brace ache!

Orthodontic Silicone Wax is great stuff if the wires are rubbing, particularly right at the back of your mouth, I used to keep it in my school blazer. If he has a retainer, get a mouthguard case for school lunch time etc!

 

Don't really remember avoiding any foods in particular - I'm sure I lived off mash and beans or ice cream when I had mine changed but that was probably just an excuse.

 

I had permanent springs for a couple months and then elastic bands to pull my bottom jaw forward so couldn't open my mouth more than 2 fingers wide meaning I always used to rip food into little bits rather than biting it with my front teeth; I think I still subconsciously do, nearly 10 years later!

[The Dogmother]

I remember you managing Doritos just fine, Lewis

[Angie]

Oh braces....DD couldn't give up cola so drank everything through a straw to keep it off her teeth. Lots of soft food , soups and even baby food at one point. No toast or hard crusts . She gave up All sweets but used to suck small pieces of chocolate , everything was cut up to avoid biting and she took a fruit knife to college everyday. ( and tooth brush , toothpaste , interdentals and wax .)

[chickencam]

I remember my two having elasticis but they took theirs out at meal times.. They were just left all over the house

[chickencam]

Curry turns the pLatin/rubber bits of the braces odd colours too,min think that the worst was the blue ones which went a weird green colour and white which went yellow.

[The Dogmother]

I remember my two having elasticis but they took theirs out at meal times.. They were just left all over the house

 

Like those darned loom bands then?

[patsylabrador]

We found most things were ok so long as they were cut into bite size pieces and so the initial damaging bite was avoided. Best wishes to your boy, I went through it, my son went through it and you really do need lots of understanding and tlc. It can be so miserable, painful and humiliating at times. Buy him a little treat when he has his brace tightened, I hated it so much.