Getting braces is exciting — and the first few weeks take some getting used to. Knowing what is normal makes the adjustment much easier. Here is what our orthodontic patients at M Dental Care in Kampala experience in month one.

Days 1–3: tender teeth

The fitting itself does not hurt. A few hours later your teeth start to feel tender, and biting into anything firm is uncomfortable. This is the wire starting to move your teeth — it is doing its job. The tenderness peaks on day two and fades by day four or five. Paracetamol or ibuprofen, soft food and cold drinks all help.

Days 1–7: rubbing and ulcers

The brackets rub the inside of your lips and cheeks until the skin toughens up, which takes about a week. Press a small ball of orthodontic wax over any bracket that is rubbing — we give you some at fitting, and you can ask for more. Warm salt-water rinses soothe any small ulcers. If a wire end is poking you, call us and we will trim it; do not try to cut it yourself.

Eating with braces

For the first week stick to soft food: rice, matooke, posho, eggs, fish, yoghurt, bananas, soup. After that you can eat most things, with a few permanent rules:

  • Cut, do not bite. Apples, carrots, maize on the cob, sugar cane and meat on the bone are cut into pieces and chewed with the back teeth.
  • Avoid hard and sticky foods — nuts, ice, hard sweets, chewing gum, toffee, popcorn. These are what break brackets.
  • Go easy on sugary drinks. Sugar around brackets leaves permanent white marks on the enamel. Water is best; rinse after sodas or juice.

Keeping braces clean

Braces trap food. Brushing after every meal, angling the brush above and below each bracket, and using the interdental brushes we provide keeps your gums healthy and prevents the white spots and decay that can spoil the final result. A fluoride mouthwash at night is a good addition. Most patients spend about three minutes on a proper clean.

Speech

Lips feel bulky and a few words come out oddly for a few days. Reading aloud speeds up the adjustment; within a week nobody notices.

Your first adjustment

Around week four to six you return for the wire to be changed or tightened. Expect a milder version of the day-one tenderness for a day or two. Each visit takes 20–30 minutes, and this rhythm continues every four to six weeks until the braces come off.

When to call us

A loose bracket, a broken wire, a wire that is stabbing you, or pain that is severe rather than tender — call (+256) 0200 959927. Small problems fixed quickly keep your treatment on schedule. And if you are still deciding whether braces are right for you, our guide to straightening crooked teeth explains the options.