I dunno, I think braces do play a pretty big role. Before braces, I never thought twice about corn or apples... but now I'm constantly second-guessing myself, even after getting them off. It's like my brain still thinks something might break or pop loose. Maybe it'll fade eventually, but habits formed from anxiety can be surprisingly stubborn. Glad your sister bounced back so quickly though—that's impressive!
Totally get that anxiety—had the same issue myself. What helped me was easing back into crunchy foods gradually. Started with softer apples sliced thin, then slowly moved onto corn. Took a few weeks, but eventually my brain caught up and relaxed about it.
Totally relate to that anxiety about crunchy stuff. I remember after braces, even biting into pizza crust felt weirdly risky at first. I did something similar—started with softer stuff like bananas and pasta, then slowly worked up to things like chips and carrots. Honestly, it surprised me how much of it was mental rather than physical. Your brain just needs time to realize your teeth aren't fragile anymore... After a month or so, it felt completely natural again. Hang in there, you're definitely not alone in this!
I felt the same way after getting mine off. Weirdly enough, popcorn was my big hurdle—I kept imagining kernels getting stuck or breaking something. Took me weeks to get over that mental block, even though logically I knew it was fine. Once I did, though, popcorn became my go-to snack again. It's funny how our minds can hold onto those anxieties even when there's no real risk anymore...
I totally get the popcorn anxiety, but honestly, for me it wasn't popcorn—it was biting into apples. Even after my ortho gave me the green light, I kept slicing them up for months because I was convinced I'd chip something. Weird how our brains latch onto these fears, right? But unlike you, apples never really became my favorite again... guess some anxieties stick around longer than others.
