The Ultimate Guide to Braces for Adults

chapter

06

Taking Care of Braces

Taking care of braces is not nearly as difficult as you might imagine. Really, it’s usually just an extra couple of minutes per day and some small changes to the food you pick.

Let’s look at a few specific items below.

Taking Care of Braces: Brushing and Flossing

Modern braces, whether they’re metal or clear are made to allow for easy, painless, thorough brushing. This means you brush pretty much the same as you would even if you didn’t have braces…

Here are some simple tips you can use for best results when brushing with braces:

Brush your teeth with a toothbrush every time you eat and before bed.
Brush, rinse, and look; look for any areas that are not 100% clean, and then brush these spots again.
Brush along your gum line as you brush your teeth (massage and stimulate).
Take extra care in the area between the gums and the braces—food tends to accumulate in these areas and can lead to swollen gums.
Toothpaste is not required. If no toothpaste is available, go ahead brush without.
When you don’t have a tooth brush on you, rinse your mouth vigorously with water.
Replace your old toothbrush regularly when it looks worn out.
It’s essential you continue regular visits to your family dentist for checkups and cleanings.

Watch Our Video Below for Instruction on Brushing and Flossing with Braces Plus Other Instructions for Taking Care of Braces

Living With Braces: Foods You Should Avoid

After braces have been placed, the teeth are usually “tender” and sensitive for three to ten days. During this brief period, softer foods are recommended.

As needed, Tylenol or Advil are adequate in relieving any discomfort, taken an hour or so before eating.

You may experience some discomfort on your cheeks or lips as you first get used to the braces.

*Warm saltwater rinses can be helpful for any sores on your cheeks and lips. We also provide a “soft white wax,” a safe topical that eases cheek or lip discomfort.

For the entire duration of the braces being in place, it’s best to stay away from hard and sticky foods that can damage braces.

Here is a short, but likely incomplete, list of foods you should avoid while in braces:

Hard and crunchy foods: Chewing ice, nuts, popcorn, hard candy, whole apples and carrots (unless cut into bite sized pieces), corn on the cob, and hard bread.
Extra-sticky foods: Laughy Taffy or Starbursts or similar candies.
Very chewy foods: Pizza crust or beef jerky, gummy bears. Note: no chewing on pencils or pens.
Super-sugary foods and drinks: If you eat sugary these foods, make sure to brush as soon as possible afterwards.

For the most part, taking care of braces doesn’t really change your normal diet or routine. It’s usually a few extra minutes per day for cleaning and being a little more careful with food that you eat.

Taking Care of Braces: What Happens When Something Breaks

There really are no true orthodontic “emergencies”…

…in fact, most problems can be easily and safely remedied at home.

Watch the video above to learn more about the common orthodontic problems and how to take care of them.

Common orthodontic problems include the breaking of some part of the braces or a feeling of discomfort or poking of the cheeks or lips.

Most problems can be fixed temporarily with some orthodontic wax or a piece of sugar-free gum placed over the area that is causing discomfort.

If you do run up against a problem that isn’t easily managed with these instructions, we have a special phone number to call that routes to a knowledgeable staff member directly.

See, taking care of braces isn’t going to be difficult!

Click here for tips on how to put rubber bands on braces.

Now that you understand more about taking care of braces…

…let’s talk about life AFTER braces and what to expect with retainers.

Click below to continue reading in Chapter 7.