Caring for Your Braces

Caring for braces comes down to three habits: brush after every meal and floss daily, avoid hard and sticky foods that can damage brackets and wires, and keep your regular adjustment appointments. Good care keeps your treatment on schedule and your teeth healthy underneath your braces.

Braces do the heavy lifting of straightening your smile, but a little daily care on your part keeps everything on track. The good news is that living with braces is simpler than most people expect. Here is what you need to know to stay comfortable, keep your teeth healthy, and get the best possible result from your treatment at Sugar Creek Orthodontics.

Keeping Your Teeth Clean With Braces

Brackets and wires give food and plaque more places to hide, so cleaning well matters more than ever:

  • Brush after every meal using a soft toothbrush, angling the bristles to clean above and below the brackets.
  • Floss daily with a floss threader or orthodontic flosser to reach between teeth and under the wire.
  • Rinse with water or a fluoride mouthwash when you cannot brush right away.

Cleaning thoroughly now helps you avoid white spots and cavities and keeps your gums healthy throughout treatment.

Eating With Braces

For the first few days after braces are placed or adjusted, stick to soft foods while your teeth settle. After that, most foods are fine, with a few to avoid:

  • Avoid hard foods like ice, nuts, hard candy, and raw carrots that can break a bracket.
  • Avoid sticky and chewy foods like caramel, taffy, and gum that can pull wires loose.
  • Cut it small. Slice apples, cut corn off the cob, and cut other firm foods into bite-size pieces.

Managing Discomfort

It is normal to feel some soreness for a few days after braces are placed or tightened. Over-the-counter pain relief, soft foods, and a cold drink usually help. If a wire or bracket is irritating your cheek, a small piece of orthodontic wax smooths it over until we can see you.

When to Call Us

Most braces issues are minor and can wait for your next visit, but call us if you have a broken bracket, a poking wire you cannot fix with wax, or ongoing pain. Our orthodontic emergency page walks you through what to do and how to reach us.

Questions About Your Treatment?

We are always happy to help. Call our Bloomington-Normal office at (309) 452-7445 or our Lincoln office at (217) 732-1073, or request an appointment online.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I not eat with braces?

Avoid hard, sticky, and chewy foods, such as ice, nuts, hard or sticky candy, gum, and popcorn, which can break brackets or bend wires. Cut firm foods like apples into small pieces.

Brush after every meal and snack, and floss once a day. Keeping a travel toothbrush with you makes it easier to stay on top of it during the day.

Cover the end with a small piece of orthodontic wax to stop the irritation, and call us so we can fix it at your next visit. Never cut a wire yourself.

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