Can you eat food with rubber bands on your braces
In this brief guide, we will address the query, “can you eat food with rubber bands on your braces?” We will also discuss when it is necessary to use them, when they are recommended and what their main function is.
Can you eat food with rubber bands on your braces?
Yes, you can eat food with rubber bands on your braces. You can eat small items when you have your rubber bands on, but you have to keep in mind that it is most likely food can harm your braces and will get stuck more easily in your braces, which is very annoying!
Also, if you eat acidic foods when wearing your rubber bands, they will be more easily damaged, and you probably will have to dispose of them before the standard time, which is 24 hours. Orthodontists advise you to remove your rubber bands before eating to avoid any discomfort.
What are braces and when is it necessary to have them?
Braces are an orthodontist treatment used to straighten your teeth if they are not aligned normally. Not only braces work for an aesthetic purpose but the health benefits are interesting, they can fix some common problems, such as:
- Overcrowded teeth
- Unevenly spaced teeth
- Problems when chewing
- Self-esteem issues related to the look of teeth
As you can tell braces can change enormously the way someone lives, eats, and even sleeps, as issues with teeth can have consequences in these daily activities.
When are rubber bands added to your orthodontic treatment?
Rubber bands are not always added to your orthodontic treatment, there are some other alternatives your doctor may choose instead. If your treatment does include them, they will supply additional force to some areas of your mouth, your orthodontist will tell you exactly how you need to wear them to get the best results.
There are so many options when it comes to rubber bands, they can vary in size, force categories, and the material that they are made of. There are different rubber bands accommodations, depending on your needs is the way you need to dispose of them.
What are braces rubber bands made of?
Braces rubber bands can be made of two different materials:
- Medical-grade latex.
- Latex-free rubber bands.
The type of rubber bands you use will depend whether you have latex allergies, in order to prevent any irritation to your gums.
These types of rubber bands are done to be medically applied, some years ago there was a dangerous trend in which people wore hair ties, or any other household items to emulate them, which is not advisable at all, as it can have some serious consequences for your teeth.
For how long rubber bands for braces need to be used?
Only an orthodontist will determine the appropriate time for you to wear these rubber bands. Usually, their usage may be from a month to 6 or 8 month. The duration will depend entirely on the way your bite is and how complex your case is.
Some factor that influence the duration of wearing rubber bands are:
- Age of the patient.
- The complexity of the case.
- The types of rubber bands employed and how the patient reacts to the treatment.
A pair of rubber bands, or the amount of rubber bands you need, is only recommended to be worn for 24 hours, only taking them off to brush your teeth or eat, this will guarantee the best results.
What would happen if you accidentally swallowed or broke your rubber bands?
Nothing! If you then notice your rubber bands are missing or one of them has broken, do not panic and just replace it as soon as possible. Fortunately, these types of rubber bands were made to be safe if swallowed, and they do not cause any obstruction in your digestive system.
So, if one day this happens to you, remain calm and just replace the swallowed or broken rubber band.
How many types of rubber bands for braces are there?
Rubber band braces come in several types, some of them are:
- Triangle rubber bands. They are v-shaped, and they are mainly used to align canines.
- Cross elastic. They are used to fix crossbite. It is connected to the teeth in the same jaw to fix a tooth misaligned.
- Box rubber bands. Employed to close the gap between teeth.
- Ligature. They come in different colors and are used to hold the brackets in place.
- Elastic separator. It is
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we have addressed the query, “can you eat food with rubber bands on your braces?” We have also discussed other queries related to the subject at hand.
Hope you found this blog useful. If you have any questions, please let us know.
Citations
https://www.orthodontist4u.com/blog/2015/02/20/is-it-really-that-bad-155356
https://www.getyourbraces.com/elastics-rubber-bands
https://premierorthodontics.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/WEARING-ELASTICS-for-pdf.pdf
