Eating, Brushing, and Living With Braces
Getting braces is exciting, and it also changes your daily routine. Meals, brushing, sports, and even the snacks in your backpack all need a little more thought than before. The good news is that most of the adjustments become second nature within a few weeks.
Whether you have metal braces, clear braces, or are using clear aligners, the same big idea applies: small, steady habits protect your teeth and keep your treatment on track. Here is a practical guide to the everyday side of orthodontic life.
What to Eat, and What to Skip
In the first few days after braces go on, your teeth and gums may feel tender. Soft foods can make mealtime easier during that time. Think scrambled eggs, yogurt, mashed potatoes, soup, pasta, smoothies, and oatmeal. Cold foods like applesauce can also feel soothing.
After that, most foods are fair game, but a few kinds cause trouble for brackets and wires. Hard foods such as ice, hard candy, nuts, and popcorn kernels can break a bracket or bend a wire. Sticky foods like caramel, taffy, and chewy gummies can pull at your braces and cling to them. Crunchy raw foods such as whole apples, carrots, and corn on the cob are better cut into small pieces and eaten with your back teeth.
Sugary drinks deserve a mention too. Soda, sports drinks, and sweetened coffee can leave sugar sitting around your brackets, where it is hard to rinse away. Water is the best everyday choice, and it is easy to carry a bottle with you, especially during warm Arizona days. Also try not to chew on pens, fingernails, or ice, since these habits can damage your braces.
Brushing and Flossing Around Braces
Food and plaque can hide around brackets and under wires, so cleaning takes more time than it did before. A good routine is to brush after meals when you can, and always in the morning and before bed. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, and angle the bristles toward the gumline. Then brush the tops and undersides of the brackets. Take your time. Two full minutes is a good target.
Flossing matters just as much, even though it takes patience. Floss threaders or orthodontic flossers help you slide floss under the wire. Small interdental brushes can also reach spots a regular brush misses. A water flosser can be a helpful extra step for some people, but ask our team whether it makes sense for you.
If you wear clear aligners, the routine looks a little different. Brush your teeth before putting the aligners back in, so food is not trapped against your teeth. Clean the aligners as your orthodontic team recommends, and take them out when you eat or drink anything besides water. Keep them in their case instead of wrapping them in a napkin, where they are easily thrown away.
Sports, Music, and Active Days
Braces should not keep you from the activities you enjoy, but a little protection goes a long way. If you play a sport where a ball, elbow, or fall could hit your face, a mouthguard is an important piece of gear. A guard made for braces can help protect your lips and cheeks from being cut by brackets, and it helps shield your teeth too. Mouthguards are one of the services we offer, so ask our team which type fits your braces and your sport.
Musicians who play wind or brass instruments may need a short adjustment period, as the mouth has to find a new comfortable position. Practicing a little each day usually helps. If something feels sore, orthodontic wax can cushion the area.
Small Habits That Make a Difference
Keep a small kit in your bag or car with a travel toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, orthodontic wax, and your aligner case if you have one. Having these on hand makes it easier to clean up after lunch or cover a poking wire until you can be seen.
Wear any rubber bands or other appliances exactly as directed, and keep your appointments. Your orthodontist plans each visit around your progress, and skipped visits or skipped bands can make treatment take longer.
Mild soreness after an adjustment is common, and it tends to fade in a few days. Soft foods and a warm saltwater rinse can help. But if a wire is poking you, a bracket comes loose, or you have an injury to your mouth, call our team. Emergency care is part of what we do, and we would rather hear from you than have you wait and worry.
Every smile and every treatment plan is different, so questions about your own braces are always welcome. Reach out to SS Orthodontics in Phoenix, and we will be glad to talk through what daily life should look like for you.
Questions about your own care? The team at SS Orthodontics is happy to help — call us at (602) 485-4700 or request an appointment.
This content is for general information only and isn't dental or medical advice. Talk with your dentist or orthodontist about your own situation. If you have a medical emergency, call 911.
