braces

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2005
braces
8
Wed, 11-08-2006 - 8:28am

I need some suggestions from folks who have been there and done that. Connor (13) will be getting braces the second week in December.

My question has to do with items we put in his Christmas stocking. We always fill his Christmas stocking with consumables.... Typically he'll find a box of pencils, a few bookmarks, a toothbrush, a bottle of pop, nuts, beef jerkey, dried fruit, and gum.

I'm wondering what we can do for the pop and food items with the braces. I know he can't have the gum but what about the other stuff? Suggestions for alternative items?

Dh is against putting any real gifts or gift cards in the stockings.

I appreciate the help and suggestions.
stacy

Avatar for bradleyteach
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-29-2001
In reply to: ma2connor
Wed, 11-08-2006 - 8:44am

Nothing chewy/hard so no nuts, no dried fruit, no jerky.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-02-2003
In reply to: ma2connor
Wed, 11-08-2006 - 9:15am
I also agree.Samantha broke one of her braces on a peanut.She said it hurt bad.She did do candies that she sucked on like lifesavers and such but she couldnt bite on them.chocolate
is always good.You may also want to stay away from stickey things like tafey and such.Good luck it is kind of a pain but so worth it.Samantha has such pretty teeth now.
Tammy
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
In reply to: ma2connor
Wed, 11-08-2006 - 10:42am

I typically put novelty bottles of shampoo/bodywash/bubble bath (those in batman bottles, etc). I also toss in a battery powered toothbrush. I'd ditch the dried fruit and jerky, go for the pop. Right now there are tons of small holiday treats out so perhaps you can check those out. My 15 yr old son actually LOVES the meat logs and cheese w/mustard from Hickory Farms so he'll find a collection of those this year instead of the batman bottles! :)

Denise

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-15-2005
In reply to: ma2connor
Wed, 11-08-2006 - 11:01am
Our ortho guy says nothing that ends in o's (cheetos, doritos fritos, etc.) along with any chewy things that they have to pull (taffy, jerkey, hard things) and no gum and no nuts whatsoever!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2003
In reply to: ma2connor
Wed, 11-08-2006 - 3:11pm

The pop would be okay, epsecially if it was diet (sugar free) . Potato chips are okay as long as they not as the pp said Doritos, Fritos etc.

Linda
mom to
Alex (16), Rachel (14), Matthew (12)


Avatar for onehappymama
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-26-2005
In reply to: ma2connor
Wed, 11-08-2006 - 6:07pm
Milk chocolate bars or Hershey Kisses. Kit Kats. Cookies (without nuts). Go ahead & get him a travel toothbrush & small tube of toothpaste. Quinn goes to the bathroom after lunch & brushes his teeth. However, he has lost a couple of the travel toothbrushes so I keep a couple of extra around. Pixie Sticks are ok. Do you have a Water Pik? It is great for kids with braces, because you might as well face that he's not going to floss everyday (Too hard & time consuming...of course yours might not be as lazy as mine! LOL!). He might be more opted to use the Water Pik. Better than nothing.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
In reply to: ma2connor
Wed, 11-08-2006 - 8:04pm
My son just got his braces last Thursday, and his orthodontist told him to chew gum as much as possible those first few days -- supposedly it helps circulate the blood in the gums which helps to ease the pain. Unfortunately, ds has never liked chewing gum. The only foods he was told to avoid are very, very hard ones like frozen Milky Way bars and unpopped popcorn kernals, and no chewing ice cubes. But I second what a lot of people here have suggested for your ds's stocking -- chocolate.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2005
In reply to: ma2connor
Thu, 11-09-2006 - 11:25am
Our orthodontist says that pop is the worst thing for teeth. The acid eats away the enamel. That and fruit snacks. I usually buy my girls small stuff from Target's dollar section for stocking stuffers. I know your dh says no toys but you can get some things very inexpensively there. Of course, I have girls so maybe they are easier. They almost always have cute little stuffed animals, note pads, etc there. For candy, you should stick to non-chewy stuff. The hard candy won't stick to braces like the chewy things will. Chocolates are also a good choice because it brushes off easily. I think beef jerky would be ok. I think I'll have to put some of that in my girls stockings this year,lol. I never thought about it but they do love beef jerky.
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