All About Braces Care
Brushing and Flossing
When you have orthodontic appliances like braces, it’s harder to keep your teeth clean since food and plaque can build up around brackets and wires. That’s why it’s more important than ever to brush and floss regularly during orthodontic treatment — ideally after every meal. Doing so helps prevent tooth decay and ensures your teeth remain healthy, not just straight, after your braces are removed.
Brushing With Braces
Brush for about two minutes after each meal using fluoride toothpaste
Use gentle, small circular motions with the toothbrush angled at 45 degrees
A soft-bristled brush with a small head — or an electric toothbrush — works best
Pay extra attention to areas near brackets where plaque tends to build up
Flossing With Braces
Flossing is essential to keep gums and teeth healthy
Use an orthodontic flosser or floss threader to guide the floss behind the archwire and between the teeth
Move it gently up and down along both sides of each tooth to remove debris and plaque
Additional Gum Care for Adults
Adults with a history of gum disease should consider seeing a periodontist while undergoing orthodontic treatment.
Eating with Braces
One of the most common questions we hear is: “What can I eat with braces?” Let’s break it down.
In the First Few Days
After getting braces or an adjustment:
Stick to soft foods like mashed potatoes, yogurt, and pasta
Avoid hard breads, raw vegetables, or tough meats
Smart Eating Habits for Braces
Cut food into smaller, bite-sized pieces
Chew with your back teeth
Eat slowly and carefully to protect your brackets
Always avoid biting directly into hard foods
Avoid These Foods Entirely
Chewy: bagels, licorice
Crunchy: popcorn, ice
Sticky: caramel, gum
Hard: nuts, hard candy
Biting-required: apples, corn on the cob, raw carrots
Don’t chew on pens, pencils, or fingernails — these can break your braces
Following these guidelines will help prevent broken brackets and keep your orthodontic treatment on schedule.
Manage General Soreness
When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for 3–5 days.
Take Tylenol or whatever you normally take for headache or discomfort.
The lips, cheeks, and tongue may also become irritated for 1–2 weeks as they toughen and get used to the braces.
Orthodontic wax is an easy solution — we’ll provide wax to place on the braces in irritated areas to lessen discomfort.
Loosening of Teeth in Treatment
Yes, your teeth may become a bit loose during treatment. While this is scary, it’s totally normal!
Teeth must loosen first so they can move.
They will firm up in their new — corrected — positions after treatment is completed.
Loose Wire or Band Care
Don’t be alarmed if a wire or band comes loose — this happens occasionally.
If a wire sticks out and is irritating:
Use a blunt object (like the eraser end of a pencil) to gently push the wire back under the archwire
Only attempt this if discomfort is unmanageable with orthodontic wax
If irritation continues, place additional wax or wet cotton on the wire to reduce the annoyance
Call our office as soon as possible for an appointment to check and repair the problem.
Instructions for Rubber Band Wear
To successfully complete orthodontic treatment, the patient must work together with the orthodontist.
The teeth and jaws can only move toward their corrected positions if the patient consistently wears rubber bands or other appliances as prescribed
Lack of cooperation or damaged appliances lengthens the treatment time — so please follow instructions
Athletics with A Mouthguard
Play sports? Let us know! We’ll provide a protective mouthguard to wear during contact sports to keep your smile safe while you play.