Help- braces are making me lose weight!

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kissasnail
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Aug 27, 2018 5:19 am

Help- braces are making me lose weight!

#1 Post by kissasnail »

Hello! I'm 20, got braces only two weeks ago and i already lost 3kg. I've always been a bit underweight and would actually love to gain some weight.

During the first week i was eating only purees and smoothies because of the pain. Now i can manage to eat anything as long as it isn't too hard, but for some reason everything tastes bland and flat, like cardboard. And i find it really unpleasant when all the food gets stuck in my braces. I feel that i am unconsciously developing an unhealthy relationship with food because of this. Before, i loved to eat all the time. Now, just 3 times a day and i have to make a very big effort to eat enough to function.

Does it get any better? Did anyone else experience this loss of taste?

Thank you!

kplatt2010
Posts: 260
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2018 6:26 am

Re: Help- braces are making me lose weight!

#2 Post by kplatt2010 »

It does get better. Perhaps supplement your diet with Boost Plus milkshakes. I prefer the chocolate ones and used them extensively after jaw surgery along with adding some protein powder and frozen fruit and ice to up calories. Blend it up with a Nutra Bullet Pro. Munk oatmeal fruit pouches are nice snacks too. I also had favorite baby food options but if you have not had jaw surgery, you might be a little embarrassed to pull out for lunch LOL (Happy Tots superfoods and high protein)...

If you have not invested in a Waterkpik yet; you should buy one of those bad boys. It's great for power-washing the crevices in braces after a meal. They are loud as heck but well worth it. You brush and think you get everything and then you waterpik and the stuff that comes out!! When I first got my braces, I had a portable Waterpik too that I used for work. I was fortunate at the time to have a sink in my office.

assertives
Posts: 645
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2017 5:29 am

Re: Help- braces are making me lose weight!

#3 Post by assertives »

I didn't experience loss of taste but I did notice that I didn't enjoy the things I used to like as much as I did before braces (e.g. potato chips!) since it hurts to eat them and they are a pain to clean after. I have also noticed that I cut down alot on snacking because I'm OCD and it's starting to get tiring to be constantly cleaning.

Hang in there, it really does gets better. After some time, you'll find that your teeth don't hurt as much anymore and could probably eat more than a liquid diet. In the meantime, try avocados, scrambled eggs/soft boiled eggs, toufu, mashed potatoes and mac and cheese. These things are some of my favourites go tos when it hurts to eat. They don't require too much chewing and are enough calories to give me energy and keep me filled too.

teewoods
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 4:26 am

Re: Help- braces are making me lose weight!

#4 Post by teewoods »

I wish I had your problem...I can't stop eating !!!

cutiepie2404
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2017 12:56 pm

Re: Help- braces are making me lose weight!

#5 Post by cutiepie2404 »

It gets way better. Give it a week or two and you should gain it all back. In the meantime, ice cream and milkshakes are your friend.

A high calorie milk shake recipe for weight gain:
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 tbsp of Peanut butter
• chocolate powder (optional, increases taste+calories)
• 2 tbsp of olive oil (high calorie, you barely taste it, makes drink smooth)

I used to use these to gain weight. They generally help. It should help you as well!

EmilyTravels
Posts: 476
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2017 6:01 am

Re: Help- braces are making me lose weight!

#6 Post by EmilyTravels »

Similar to the recipe posted above, when I had my jaw wired shut (after fracturing it in a bike accident), my husband made me the most delicious shake:

* dark chocolate almond milk (I didn't even know that was a thing - sooo rich and good)
* couple spoonfuls of peanut butter
* scoop of vanilla protein powder
* scoop of vanilla ice cream

All whizzed up in a blender. Yum! I'm sure you could sub. coconut oil for the peanut butter for a different flavor, while still adding plenty of fat calories.

I was thin when I got wired, so my oral surgeon did not want me losing weight. This helped!

bracesage42
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2018 3:41 pm

Re: Help- braces are making me lose weight!

#7 Post by bracesage42 »

I hear you on the eating.. I find it a pain in the a** to eat as well. I have lost some weight and can loose more - so no big deal, but I find eating to be a pain now because of the food getting stuck in my braces. Not to mention they moved some brackets around and now my bite is way off and feels so uncomfortable. And I've had my braces since June 2018.

charliee
Posts: 13
Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2018 6:45 am

Re: Help- braces are making me lose weight!

#8 Post by charliee »

After a couple of weeks, as you gain in confidence you will eat normally - I lost weight and needed to as I did no snack - cleaning was too much of a hassle!

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