If you are not happy with your smile because of crooked or misaligned teeth, then do not worry, braces are here to save your day. To correctly align your teeth, braces apply pressure by pulling or pushing them. The pressure irritates and makes your teeth and gum sensitive. This sensitivity can cause pain and this is one common question that everyone asks. Let’s have a look at why, and how much do the braces hurt?
The first experience
Braces hurt the most when they are first applied. Because at this stage your teeth are farthest from each other and the braces need to work at their maximum to move your teeth. But do not worry, the pain is easily bearable, and you get used to it within a few weeks. In addition, your dentist will prescribe you some pain killers to relieve the pain and decrease inflammation.
Having hard food
Initially, you might only feel a slight pain, but it might aggravate if you bite on something hard. Therefore, dentists recommend taking soft food that is easy to chew with sore teeth. Food that is hard to bite on might increase your pain and slow down your recovery.
Some food items that you can add to your diet are
- Yogurt
- Smoothies
- Boiled vegetables
- Soups
- Cereals
- Milkshakes
- Fruits like persimmon, berries, banana
Sticky food items leave residues around braces. Brushing alone will not be enough to remove them, and you will also need to floss. The extra effort you will make to clean your teeth might slip your braces. Therefore try avoiding hard and sticky food items to ease the pain and maintain oral hygiene.
Tightening the Braces
Braces continuously apply pressure on your teeth. They will take some time to come closer to the desired positions. Therefore after a few weeks of putting your braces on, you will need to revisit your dentist to make the adjustments. Your dentist will tighten your braces to increase the tension, which can again cause soreness and pain. However, it will not hurt as much as it did for the first time.
If you have any questions regarding braces or if your braces hurt, call Angleton Family Dental and Orthodontics on (979) 308-4450 or visit us to get instant help from our staff.
