Taking care of your teeth and gums becomes extra important when you wear braces. If you take care of your braces properly, it’ll make them much more comfortable and effective, meaning you’re a step closer to the perfect smile each day!

 

 

Perfect your brushing technique

 

Brushing is extremely important whether or not you have braces, but it becomes particularly essential when you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment. It’s much simpler for pesky pieces of food and plaque to get trapped in the brackets and cause problems, so you should use a soft head toothbrush to brush the hard-to-reach areas. Using an electric toothbrush is fine too.

 

 

 

Eating with Braces

 

don’t worry, there are still many tasty foods that you can still eat!  However, before you can start enjoying some of the foods you love, you will require taking special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances.

 

Foods to avoid with braces:

 

• Chewy foods — bagels, Pizza crust

• Hard foods – nuts, corn on the cob, apples, carrots

• Crunchy foods — popcorn, chips, ice

• Sticky foods — caramel candies, chewing gum, gummy candies

• Hard foods — nuts, hard candies

 

Foods you CAN eat with braces:

 

• Dairy – soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks, yogurts, cottage cheese, eggs

• Grains – pasta, soft cooked rice

• Breads – soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats

• Seafood

• Vegetables – mashed potatoes, steamed veggies, beans

• Fruits – applesauce, bananas, fruit juice, smoothies, berries

• Treats – ice cream without nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, plain chocolates, peanut butter cups, brownies, soft cookies. But remember to always limit your intake on sugar!

 

Habits to avoid with braces:

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• Chewing on objects such as pens & ice cubes

• Nail-biting

• Smoking

 

 

Floss, floss, floss!

 

Flossing helps to remove any plaque build-up, as well as any smaller food particles that are stuck in your braces or between your teeth. Although flossing with braces is tricky, but it’s a step in your oral hygiene routine that shouldn’t be ignored. Follow these steps:

 

• Floss every night before you go to bed

• Use a floss threader. This reusable tool allows you to get dental floss underneath the wires easily.

• Be sure not to snap the floss- simply move it up and down gently against the side of each tooth

• Use enough: About 18 inches of floss should suffice

 

 

Loose wires and bands

 

Please contact us if the wires and bands on your braces come loose so we can check and repair your appliance. Please bring any piece of your appliance that comes off to the office with you. If an injury (such as a blow to the mouth) caused the problem, call us and get help right away. Your orthodontist will let you know if you need immediate attention or if the problem can wait until your next appointment.

 

 

 

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, but do not swallow the salt water.

 

f the pain is more severe you can also try taking a pain reliever. Most patients achieve effective pain relief from acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or an anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen (Advil® or Motrin®). 

 

Consult with your doctor for potential side effects with other medications first, or if you have a suspected allergy to any of these drugs. This medication is usually neither required nor recommended for more than three to five days in a row. If you find that the pain continues for more time, please contact the office.