For the first few days after you get your braces in and after you have routine adjustments done, you may feel some discomfort and soreness. It always passes! But, in the meantime, we recommend that you take meds that you would normally take for a headache such as acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) or ibuprofen (e.g. Advil, Motrin) if you are not allergic to these drugs. For an open sore, you can rinse with warm salt water to soothe the area.

If your teeth begin feeling a little loose, don’t worry; this is normal! For teeth to move into the right position they must first become slightly loosened. Braces and wires put the appropriate pressure on your teeth to make that happen. Once your teeth have been repositioned, they will no longer be loose.

Sometimes a wire can cause irritation. You can temporarily fix the loose wire by using the back of a spoon, cotton swab or 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. If the wire is sticking you and wax does not help, the wire can be cut with a small wire cutter or nail clipper close to the back of the last brace. If you cannot resolve the wire irritation, please call our office for an appointment.

If a bracket (aka brace) comes loose from a tooth, it will usually remain connected to the wire and is not cause for an emergency visit. If it flips around the wire and becomes a source of irritation, tweezers can be used to reposition the brace around the wire. Call our office at your earliest convenience, so that we may schedule a separate visit to repair the loose bracket because these types of repairs usually take additional time.

If you have a Loose Expander / Appliance or Trauma to the Mouth, please contact us immediately so that we may schedule an immediate appointment to fix it.

1. Foods to avoid
In order to take awesome care of your braces, you want to avoid any foods that are sticky, chewy, gooey or really hard- this includes but is not limited to gummy bears, Now and Laters, caramel, Jolly Ranchers, hard pretzels, pizza crust. The rule of thumb is that you don’t want to bite into anything harder than a banana with your front teeth. Cut food into smaller pieces and chew with your back teeth.

2. Foods you can eat
What’s good for the rest of your body is also good for your teeth. We encourage you to eat healthy foods like apples and carrots (just remember to cut them into small pieces). Meats are ok too, just not off the bone. Try to eat well-balanced meals and snacks for a keen mind, strong body and a beautiful smile!

Game, Set, Match – we have great news for athletes! You can still play sports even while undergoing orthodontic treatment! We strongly encourage a mouthguard to be worn during all interactive sports activities. Sports related injuries to the mouth and jaw are some of the most common injuries received by athletes. Protecting your smile while playing sports is essential when you have braces. Mouthguards help protect your teeth and gums from injury. Talk to Doc Ak and the SmileOntourage so that they can hook you up with the proper mouthguard!

At a minimum, we ask our patients to brush 3 times a day (and ideally after every meal) for at least 2 minutes for optimum gums and teeth health. We’re in this together and we’ll work as a team. If you need help choosing the right toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss, please ask us and we can help you choose the right products for your teeth and your appliance.

Flossing is vital to healthy gums and teeth. We ask that our patients floss at least once a day. We recommend Superfloss to make the process easier. Alongside brushing, if food becomes stuck between your teeth, use your Waterpik or a proxy brush to dislodge the food.

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, headgear, retainer, or other appliances prescribed by Doc Ak. You will want to keep your orthodontic appliances clean by brushing them each time you brush your teeth. Remember to take out removable appliance when you eat, go swimming in a lake or ocean, play sports, or any situation in which it may break or become lost. Never wrap your appliance in a napkin – It may accidentally get thrown out and no one wants to go dumpster diving!