Tips For Wearing Braces

The Dos and Don’ts of Wearing Braces

Getting braces might seem like a daunting step, but you’ll soon find your life doesn’t change much once the braces are on.

Of course, you should make appropriate changes to your diet and routine for a smoother process. But you’ll find those changes are easier than you were expecting.

We’ve laid out what you should and shouldn’t do with braces to help you get started.

If you have questions, we encourage you to reach out to us. We’re always here to help you through your entire journey.

What You Should Do With Braces

Start Treatment Early. If you’re a parent or guardian of a young child, it makes sense to have your child’s mouth evaluated as soon as possible. By keeping an eye on your child’s developing mouth, we can recommend short, simple treatments early that can reduce the need for longer, more complex treatments later on.

Brush and Floss Your Teeth. Brushing is always important, but it’s even more important when you have braces! The same goes for flossing. Click here for more information.

Stay Active. You can continue to play all sports with braces. We do, however, recommend that you wear a mouthguard during play to minimize any injuries. If you’re not sure whether your sport requires a mouthguard, please ask us.

What You Shouldn’t Do With Braces

Eat Sticky and Hard Foods. Sticky foods can get stuck in the brackets and wires and be very difficult to remove, even with proper brushing and flossing. Hard foods can bend or damage the brackets and wires of your braces. Click here for a list of foods you should avoid.

Bite Your Nails. Nails are much harder than most foods, and they can cause the same damage that hard foods can. Think of this as your opportunity to kick an unpleasant habit.

Smoke. In addition to the damage, smoking can wreak on your teeth when you’re not wearing braces, it can also discolor your braces. Again, think of this as your opportunity to kick the habit.