SMILE!

Piece of Advice

So, after almost three years with braces on, I have decided to share three pieces of wisdom with you about the world of orthodontics.

First of all, try to avoid having chapped lips before appointments. Especially appointments where you are either getting your braces on or off, or if your orthodontist is like mine and takes your retainer molds the appointment before you get your braces off.

I learned this the hard way when I went into get my top braces on (I got my top and bottom braces on 4 months apart because I had a really bad overbite). My first ortho appointment, and needless to say, I was nervous and I was dreading it. I should've spent less time dreading and more time preparing because I wasn't thinking ahead. Which meant that chap stick wasn't high on my priorities that week.

Which was a mistake because of all of the pulling and contorting they do to your lips, its painful and it stings. My lips starting bleeding a little bit...

Second piece of advice, wear your bands! I cannot stress this enough. I put off wearing my bands because they are a pain in the butt, not gonna lie. They hurt at first, but if you never wear them you won't get used to them.

In my case, I was faithful to my bands at first, and then slowly gave up on them. It really extends your time as a metal mouth (*cough cough* four months).*

I understand they suck, but if you wear them all the time, I promise you, your orthodontic nightmare will be over faster.

And, finally, the third and final piece of wisdom for this chapter**, stay away from taffy. I know its tempting to eat those foods on the "No-Eat" list, but they are on there for a reason.

Now it would be hypocritical for me to say not to ever eat any of those foods because I cheated myself, but always be careful if you do cheat. But, never ever ever ever ever ever cheat with taffy. Taffy should be the number one item on that list in bolded type and red letters!

This advice comes from my friend @JustLAXn, who once ate taffy with braces... She couldn't get it out for three days. Now, if you aren't going to listen to me about taffy and want to try your luck, give yourself a week to get it out at least because that stuff, while delicious, is dangerous and sticky.

Well that's it for now.

*My braces treatment was actually delayed for 10 months. 4 months because I didn't wear my bands, 1 month for travel (I went to Costa Rica and Puerto Rico during the month I was supposed to get them off, so I got them off in July instead of June), and 5 months because my orthodontist couldn't make up his mind. He would give me band arrangements, which I would dutifully wear, then he would change them because they adjusted too much or didn't fix the right spot.

** I plan to have more advice/wisdom chapters throughout this so if you have any questions you want answered about braces, please comment below! :)