Life with Braces

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

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.

Foods to avoid with braces:

In general, avoid hard, crunchy foods that can bend wires or cause brackets to come loose such as:

• Crunchy foods — popcorn, ice
• Sticky foods — caramel candies, sugary 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 perfectly normal and we promise your mouth will not be sore forever! 

It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to become irritated as they become used to the braces. We would be happy to give you wax that you can put over the braces to lessen the tenderness. If you need some wax, please let us know.

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 feel loose.

Loose Wires and Bands

The wires and bands on your braces may come loose. If this happens, please contact us 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 over the broken wire to prevent it from poking.

Take Care of Your Appliances

Damaged appliances can increase the length of your treatment process, so be sure to take care of all your appliances. Your teeth and jaw can only move into their correct positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, retainer, or other appliances prescribed by Dr. Anderson.

Playing Sports with Braces

If you do play sports, it's recommended that you wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and your appliances. Let us know if you need help finding the right mouthguard for the best protection.