Now that you have your braces, how do you take care of them? It’s important for you to know how to properly take care of your braces throughout your entire orthodontic treatment.​

Eating with Braces

You need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances!

Foods to avoid with braces:

Chewy foods — bagels, licorice, anything in a wrapper (starburst)

Crunchy foods — popcorn, chips, iceSticky foods — caramel candies, chewing gum

Hard foods — nuts, hard candies

Foods that require biting into — corn on the cob, apples, carrots

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 normal. It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to become irritated for a few days 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. ​

Loose Teeth

If your teeth begin feeling a little loose, don’t worry; this is normal! Your braces must first loosen your teeth to move them into the right position. Once your teeth have been repositioned, they will no longer be loose.​

Loose Wires and Bands

The wires and bands on your teeth may come loose. If this happens, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can check and repair your appliance. If any piece of your appliance comes off, be sure to save it and bring it to the office with you. You can temporarily fix the loose wire by using the eraser end of a pencil to carefully and gently push the wire back into place. If the loose wire is causing irritation to your lips or cheeks, put wax or a wet cotton ball over the broken wire to relieve the pain.​