Life with Braces

Now that you have your braces, how do you take care of them? It's important for you to know how to properly take care of your braces throughout your entire orthodontic treatment.

Oral Hygiene – Keeping your Teeth and Braces Clean and Healthy

Good oral hygiene is extremely important during orthodontic treatment. In general, proper brushing and flossing with braces takes only a little extra effort, but it will be well worth it when you are awarded with a straight and beautiful smile, and healthy teeth that will last you a lifetime.

Brushing with Braces

Brushing your teeth when you have braces isn’t that much different than brushing your teeth without braces. You need to brush around the braces and every surface of your teeth including the fronts, sides, backs, and chewing surfaces. Don’t forget to thoroughly brush your gums, tongue, and roof of the mouth as well. If possible, you should brush your teeth after every time you eat. If you can, carry a travel toothbrush with you. Otherwise, at least rinse your mouth out with water. You don’t want to see green stuff in your teeth anyways! Inspect your teeth to make sure they are spotlessly clean and also check for loose or broken brackets. If there’s a problem, call our orthodontic office for recommendations and to schedule an appointment if needed.

brushing with braces

Flossing with Braces

Flossing requires a floss threader, which is a reusable tool that helps you to get the floss underneath your wire. When flossing, make sure you clean thoroughly along and under the gumline.

flossing with braces

We can also recommend special cleaning aids that will streamline and improve the process, for example, interproximal toothbrush (allows to remove plaque and food particles near the braces with more efficiency), prescription fluoride toothpaste/rinse (give the teeth maximum fluoride protection), and power toothbrush/water irrigator (WaterPik).

Eating with Braces

Don't worry, you'll be eating popcorn and snacking on potato chips again in no time! However, before you can start enjoying some of the treats you love, you will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances.

Foods to avoid with braces:

  • Chewy foods — bagels, licorice
  • Crunchy foods — popcorn, chips, ice
  • Sticky foods — caramel candies, chewing gum
  • Hard foods — nuts, hard candies
  • Foods that require biting into — corn on the cob, apples, carrots

Soreness Caused from Braces and Appliances

When you first get your braces, you may notice that your teeth and mouth feel a little tender or sore. This is perfectly normal and we promise your mouth will not be sore forever! To relieve the pain, we recommend dissolving one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of lukewarm water. Swish and gargle this solution in your mouth for just a couple of minutes (do not swallow the saltwater).

If the pain is more severe and does not go away after rinsing, you can also try taking a pain reliever. It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become used to the braces. We would be happy to give you some wax that you can put over the braces to lessen the tenderness. If you need some wax, please let us know.

Loose Teeth

If your teeth begin feeling a little loose, don't worry; this is normal! Your braces must first loosen your teeth to move them into the right position. Once your teeth have been repositioned, they will no longer be loose.

Loose Wires and Bands

The wires and bands on your braces may come loose. If this happens, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can check and repair your appliance. If any piece of your appliance comes off, be sure to save it and bring it to the office with you.

You can temporarily fix the loose wire by using the back of a spoon or the eraser end of a pencil to carefully and gently push the wire back into place. If the loose wire is causing irritation to your lips or cheeks, put wax or a wet cotton ball over the broken wire to relieve the pain.

Take Care of Your Appliances

Damaged appliances can increase the length of your treatment process, so be sure to take care of all your appliances. Your teeth and jaw can only move into their correct positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, headgear, retainer, or other appliances prescribed by your doctor.

Playing Sports with Braces

Game, Set, Match — we have great news for athletes! You can still play sports even while undergoing orthodontic treatment! If you do play sports, it's recommended that you wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and your appliance. Let your doctor know if you need help finding the right mouthguard for the best protection.

In case of a sports emergency, be sure to immediately check your mouth and appliance for damage. If you notice any loose teeth or appliance damage, please contact our office right away. You can temporarily relieve the discomfort by applying wax or rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater.