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. Here you'll find the following helpful tips:

Cleaning teeth
Eating with braces
Managing soreness
Managing broken/loose brackets/wires
Playing sports

cleaning teeth with braces

proper brushing

proper flossing

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

See what these foods can do to your braces:

Foods you CAN eat with braces:

• Dairy — soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks

• Breads — soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins without nuts

• Grains — pasta, soft cooked rice

• Meats/poultry — soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats

• Seafood — tuna, salmon, crab cakes

• Vegetables — mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans

• Fruits — applesauce, bananas, fruit juice

• Treats — ice cream without nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, soft cake

soreness caused from braces and appliances

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.

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.