Orthodontic Care

Braces Care at Home

The most important part of your orthodontic treatment rests in your hands—brushing and flossing. You should brush after every time you eat, making sure to clean between the braces and gums to remove any food left on the teeth. If you can’t brush at school, brush as soon as you get home. Even rinsing with water is good! 

You’ll also need to clean between your teeth, which can be tricky with brackets and wires in the way. We recommend using a Waterpik water flosser to help clean between the braces.

Eating with Braces

Having braces means that you’ll need to give up certain foods during your treatment. Don’t worry—you’ll be able to resume your normal eating habits the moment your braces come off. 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. Until then, here are some guidelines for which foods don’t mix well with braces.

Woman Pushing Away

Foods to Avoid

  • Chewy Foods — bagels, licorice

  • Crunchy Foods — popcorn, chips, ice

  • Sticky Foods — caramel candies, chewing gum

  • Hard Foods — nuts, hard candies

  • Foods The Require Biting Into — apples, corn on the cob, carrots

Woman Pointing

Foods You CAN Eat

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

  • Grains — soft cooked rice, pasta

  • Meats — chicken, meatballs, lunch meats

  • Fruits — applesauce, bananas, fruit juice

  • Treats — ice cream, Jell-O, soft cake or cookies, milkshakes

Dealing with Soreness

For the first few days after your braces are placed, you may experience some general soreness. We usually recommend softer foods for the first few days and an over-the-counter pain reliever as directed. Subsequent adjustments of wires and bands may also lead to discomfort, but this shouldn’t last more than a day or two.

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. If you ever have questions about your braces, or if something just doesn’t feel right, don’t hesitate to call us. A member of our team will be more than happy to help!