questions about new braces

[krzygrlm]

hey all! Love the site - it's been a great help and source of comfort. I am 28 yr old and just got braced (top) 3 days ago. I am curious about drinking pop, coffee and alcohol - my ortho seemed to be in a hurry and is over 2 hrs away - do i need to brush as soon as i finish drinking or can it wait until after my next meal? i really don't want staining or rotting as this was a huge decision (promise i'll post pics soon, i have extremely bad teeth)

[ckrobyn]

hey all! Love the site - it's been a great help and source of comfort. I am 28 yr old and just got braced (top) 3 days ago. I am curious about drinking pop, coffee and alcohol - my ortho seemed to be in a hurry and is over 2 hrs away - do i need to brush as soon as i finish drinking or can it wait until after my next meal? i really don't want staining or rotting as this was a huge decision (promise i'll post pics soon, i have extremely bad teeth)

Congrats on your new braces - you are on your way to a perfect smile!

I have ceramic braces top and bottom, so I am careful about staining them with coffee and soda. I do indulge in coffee and do not run to brush my teeth right away - so far there is no staining. Do you have metal or ceramic braces? If you have metal you have nothing to worry about as far as staining is concerned.

I brush my teeth when I get up in the morning, after each meal and before I go to bed. Unless you want to brush more often - this works well for me

[krzygrlm]

Thanks! I have ceramic on top and will be getting metal on the bottom in a few months - minimum estimated treatment time 24 months. Thanks for the info, I didn't really think liquids would be a problem as long as I still brush regularly (4-5 x day) - but all the info i got was for kids and says soda and stuff will permanently damage my teeth (scary!!)

[ladybug0330]

I suggest just swishing a little water around in your mouth after your last sip.