It’s important that you take good care of your teeth and braces during treatment.

That’s why we’ve provided these home orthodontics care tips.

Oral Hygiene

Brushing

  • Brush after every snack and meal
  • Brush in a circular motion and angle your toothbrush above and below the braces
    • The portion of the tooth between the braces and the gums is the most important area to keep clean!
    • If any white fuzzy material (plaque) is left behind on the surfaces of the teeth or braces, repeat tooth brushing
  • Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste
  • Rinse with a fluoride mouthwash (i.e. ACT® or Phosflur®) once a day
  • Replace toothbrush or brush head when bristles show signs of wear

Flossing

  • Floss once a day by passing the floss threader or Superfloss director between the braces and beneath the wire
  • Superfloss or floss directors are available in most all Walgreens, CVS, Target and Walmart stores

Note

White spot lesions (WSL) are permanent white marks on the teeth that develop in patients with very poor oral hygiene. They become noticeable once the braces are removed. When plaque is left to sit on the teeth for extended periods of time, acid from the plaque demineralizes the surface of the enamel, causing white spots.

Foods to Avoid

We recommend a soft diet for the first several days with braces, at least until you get past any initial discomfort. Foods best to avoid while in braces fall into two main categories:

  • Hard, crunchy food
  • Sticky, chewy food

Hard, Crunchy Foods to Avoid

Examples include:

  • Granola, granola bars
  • Chips, pretzels, pita chips, croutons
  • Crusty French bread, pizza crust
  • Apples (cut up in small pieces) and carrots (steam)
  • Hard candies

With today’s latest adhesives, the braces adhere very well to the tooth surface. However, with excessive force from hard food, a bracket could “break” or come away from the tooth.

Soft, Chewy Foods to Avoid

Soft, chewy foods best to avoid include candies such as:

  • Caramels
  • Taffy
  • Starbursts
  • Bubble gum

Never

There are a few things you should never do:

  • Chew on ice, pencils, pens
  • Put your fingers in your mouth and play with your braces