Braces, New Person,

[Guest ChloeB]

Hi I'm chloe. I just got my braces today and just found outi had celiac disease yesterday! so I know of nothing to eat and I don't know what I'm going to eat at a friends party, tommmorow! I couldnt eat the food my mom made for dinner tonight so I had to have soup. my braces stilll hurt badly I just hope they dont hurt much longer does anyone know if they wiil hur longer? also do they hurtto get out? how many days do they hurt?

THANKS FOR THE HELP, CHLOE!

[penguin]

OK, sorry to post in the teen section...but...

I remember my days of braces very well! They will probably hurt you for a few days to a week, and then for a few days each time they're tightened. It sucks badly!

Hang on, are you Carla's daughter? Welcome!

Anyway, back to the braces. Basically, things like soup, mashed potatoes, yogurt, applesauce, pudding, and rice cereal will be good for your poor teeth. Your cheeks may get irritated too. Getting braces is a good excuse to eat ice cream!

As for the party, I'm not sure. Maybe bring some cut up fruits that are softer like mango, melons, grapes, etc. I have a great recipe for a dip to dip fruit in to if you want it. I don't know what would be at the party that you could eat, it depends on if any of it is gluten-free and/or soft. Ask your friend what will be there...

[Guhlia]

Yeah, I apologize too for posting in the teens section. I just wanted to warn you to be careful with ice cream! Though there are some ice creams that are gluten free, they may REALLY hurt your teeth since you have new braces. I couldn't handle anything cold for the first month that I had braces because the metal held the cold temperature for too long. It hurt like crazy. Don't worry, the initial pain probably won't last more than a few days.

[penguin]

Good call, Guhlia! I remember that I tolerated it by not letting near my teeth, and shielding my teeth from the stuff with my lips! I had more trouble with hot stuff than cold...

[CarlaB]

Chloe is my daughter!

We will not only be sharing celiac together, but I've been having my TMJ treated for the past year and am due to get braces in the next month or two!

We went to Wild Oats today and bought a bunch of gluten-free stuff for her party, so it will be gluten-free, but don't know whether she'll be able to chew it.

[penguin]

it will be gluten-free, but don't know whether she'll be able to chew it.

Sounds gross, but works: Take bite, take drink, then chew

It's like making baby food in your mouth

But it does the job of making stuff soft enough to chew.

[Ursa Major]

Welcome to the celiac disease forum, Chloe! You're as pretty as your mother.

I had braces from ages 43 to 46, and a retainer for another year after that. So, I can sympathize (and good for you, Carla, my braces were because of TMJ as well, and it helped tremendously). I agree, it will hurt for about a week after getting the braces, and then a couple of days each time they get tightened. But you will manage (not that you have a choice, of course).

Whatever you do, DON'T eat chewy candy or chewing gum, you will regret it. In fact, don't eat anything chewy at all, it gets stuck in your braces. The same goes for things like alfalfa sprouts, they wrap themselves around your braces! You may not want to eat spaghetti either, same reason (believe me, it's gross when that happens!).

The suggestions for apple sauce, yogourt, soup etc. are good. Potatoes and well cooked vegetables are good, too. Chicken is a good meat to start with, as it isn't too hard to chew.

Do you have a water pik and an electric toothbrush? Those were absolute life savers for me! It takes hours (or so it seemed) to get food out from in between your teeth and braces with floss (I'd almost end up having a temper tantrum each time with frustration), but it's a cinch with a water pik. And brushing your teeth with braces is so easy with an electric toothbrush! I don't know how I would have survived braces at my 'advanced' age without those two things.

[Guest Robbin]

Hi Chloe! My son is suffering with his braces too!! I made him some mashed potatoes with ground up cooked ham in them and he ate that for a couple of days when the pain was bad. He also liked some of the baby foods (you don't have to tell anyone!!) Just keep thinking of the day when the braces come off and your teeth will be so stunningly beautiful. That poor orthodontist you are hating now will become a superhero to you!! (Welcome, by the way)

Carla, good luck to you too- that will be nice to have another person in the house to know first hand what you are going through and can cry on each other's shoulders!

(I used to live in Cincy--Isn't Mason near Loveland with the castle?!!)

[chrissy]

hey chloe! i had braces just a few years ago-----i got them off just before i turned 40. they are worth every bit of pain they may cause----i didn't find it to be too horribly bad. make sure and use wax on the rough spots. i have 3 girls with celiac, an 11 year old and 15 year old twins---so you are right between them in age. my twins are both in braces and my 11 yr old is in a retainer waiting to get her braces back on----she is being done in 2 stages.

my girls' friends have been really good about their celiac disease. some have even brought gluten free things for them when they are having treats at school---hopefully you have friends like this.

you have such an opportunity to help educate other people about celiac, now, and who knows, maybe someone else will be able to figure out their "mystery" illness because they know you.

good luck!!

[chocolatebunny]

Dear Chloe,

I can so sympathize with you as I am a celiac braceface also. Luckilly I had braces over a year before being diagnosed with celiac disease, so it wasn't a huge diet change (although it was pretty big). I remember when I first got braces, it helped alot to cut food into very small bites. I could eat mostly anything but it just took a little longer. Soups and cooked, pureed vegetables are great. Icecream/ sorbet are wonderful also and feel very good. Have your mom make you gluten free pancakes as these are soft and tasty. Trust me... the pain from the braces is by far the worst on the second and third days. It will get better. About eating at your friend's house- I know how hard it can be to eat out of the house... it is especially hard for me because aside from celiac disease I eat a vegetarian diet without dairy. I really helps to bring food with you. I personally tend to be embarrased and wonder what my friends are thinking about me, but your friends (most likely) want you to have a good time, so they will not be upset that you won't eat your food, but happy that you have something to eat that will not make you sick. I hope your braces stop hurting and that you find yummy gluten-free foods to eat!

~Liz

[schuyler]

Welcome Chloe ( I love your name)!

I remember when I had braces, I ate a lot of mashed potatoes, jello with small fruit pieces in it (just let it sit out for a few minutes before eating it, so that it's not too cold), and over cooked pasta (I wasn't gluten-free at the time, but I'm sure you could use gluten-free pasta instead). I had to have my jaw wired shut for 6 weeks, and during that time I ate lots of store-bought and homemade baby food (I liked Gerber fruit baby foods and then I made my own veggie baby foods because the store bought ones were gross). Sometimes I took whatever the rest of my family was eating and I put it in the blender with some liquid, and then I would drink it. I know that may sound gross, but it's not too bad. If you can handle dairy, yougart and pudding are good as well.

Danielle

[Guest ChloeB]

thanks everyone for the help I really appreciate it [alot]! I did great at the party! thanks again chloe!

[MySuicidalTurtle]

I had braces during my sophmore year of High School. Your teeth will hurt a lot at first, after every appointment, and when you get them off. Sometimes they will hurt depending how you sleep- like on your stomach. Sometimes they will just hurt for no reason! It's not a fun time! Try avoiding hard, chewy, and sticky things until you are more familiar with your new mouth. I wasn't gluten-free when I had mine but if you eat fruits and vegetables make sure to cut them up- instead of biting into them. I also used to brush my teeth after lunch at school- that way I could eat whatever I wanted and not worry about anything being stuck in my braces during classes.

[aball2006]

i got my braces off right before i was diagnosed with celiac, but braces do hurt! my best advice, use lots of wax! and i got lots of kankersores when i had my braces too, so use anbesol. the first few days are bad, take pain medicine if its unberable, drink those yogurt smoothie things so you get the food. it will get better! Good luck!

i also thought it was funny that you have your braces, and you mom has tmj, and you both have celiac. same with me and my mom, although she wont get tested for celiac because doesnt want to have to go throughg what i go through!