Here it is in English for your reading pleasure! Enjoy!
Braces, at last!
In 2011, I
had written an article about my son wanting braces to close the spaces between
his teeth. He has what I call “Big mouth, small teeth”. He was worried that girls would not want to
dance with him during the ballroom dancing class in school. At that time, I
told him no braces yet. I was waiting to see if the spaces would close up over
time on their own. They haven’t. So, for
2014, my dear son, your wish for straight teeth comes true.
Part of my
decision to wait on putting braces on my son was to make sure he was
responsible enough to keep his teeth clean.
Keeping teeth and gums clean and healthy are especially important for people
wearing braces. Brushing regularly, as directed by your hygienist or dentist,
flossing daily and scheduling regular dental visits can help keep your teeth
and gums healthy. Brushing and flossing
remove plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that forms on teeth. If plaque is not
removed regularly, it can lead to decay and cavities.
While my
son has been keeping his teeth clean and healthy and he’s not big on eating
sweets, there has been another side effect of braces that I was not prepared
for. Every night, there is a request for
a slight menu change of what I cook for dinner. My kids are not picky eaters so
I’ve never had to make special foods for them at dinnertime.
This time,
it’s different.
“Mommy, I
can’t have the carrots.”
“Why can’t
you eat carrots?”
“Remember?
My braces…? Can you make me some mashed potatoes?”
“No, I will
cook the carrots to a mushy death for you. I’m not making special mashed
potatoes for you.”
The next
night…
“Mommy, I
can’t have the chicken leg.”
“Excuse me?
Why not?”
“Remember?
My braces..? I can’t get my teeth to where the bone is. Can you make me a
hamburger?”
“No hamburger.
Use a knife and fork with your chicken leg.”
Patients
with braces should also maintain a healthy diet and limit between-meal snacks.
Your dentist may recommend avoiding certain foods that could interfere with
braces, accidentally pop off the metal brackets or accidentally bend the wires.
These foods may include nuts, popcorn, hard candy, ice and sticky foods like
chewing gum, caramel or other chewy candy.
Eventually my
son got used to eating dinner without making special requests. I’ve learned to
leave the harder vegetables steaming a little longer just for him. I asked him
what would be the first food he eats when he gets his braces off. He answered,”
A big fat juicy chicken leg so I can bite into it eat it right up to where the
bone is! You can’t just eat a chicken leg with a knife and fork, Mommy. It’s
just not the same! ” Everyone’s happy now and everyone will be happier when the
braces come off in the future. Straight healthy teeth AND being able to eat whatever he wants
to again!
