Taking care of braces comes down to a consistent daily routine: brushing after every meal, flossing once a day, avoiding foods that can snap a wire or pop a bracket, and managing the soreness that follows each adjustment. The extra effort pays off. Poor care during orthodontic treatment can lead to permanent white spots on your teeth, swollen gums, and even cavities that extend your time in braces.
Brushing With Braces
Brackets and wires create dozens of tiny ledges where food and plaque collect, so brushing needs to be more thorough than it was before braces. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush (or an orthodontic brush with a V-shaped head) and brush for at least two minutes. Angle the bristles at about 45 degrees toward the gumline, then clean in small sections, sweeping from the gums toward the teeth. Work above each bracket, below it, and directly over it. Don’t skip the chewing surfaces or the inside surfaces of your teeth.
Brush after every meal, not just morning and night. Food trapped around brackets feeds bacteria quickly, and a few hours of sitting there is enough to start softening enamel. If you’re at school or work and can’t brush right away, rinse your mouth thoroughly with water until you can get to a toothbrush.
Flossing and Water Flossers
Floss once a day, ideally before bed. Traditional floss still works, but it requires a floss threader to get the strand under the archwire at each tooth, which can turn a two-minute task into a ten-minute one. That’s where water flossers become genuinely useful. Clinical testing by Waterpik found its water flosser to be up to three times more effective at removing plaque around braces than brushing and string floss combined. The pressurized water slips under archwires, around bracket bases, and a few millimeters below the gumline, reaching areas that take significant effort with string.
If you use a water flosser, fill it with lukewarm water and start on the lowest pressure setting. Braces change how the stream feels, so give yourself a few days to adjust before increasing the pressure. Lean over the sink, close your lips most of the way around the tip (leaving a small gap at one corner so water can drain), and guide the tip along the gumline at a 90-degree angle. Pause for one to two seconds at each bracket, then trace along the archwire on the front and back of both arches.
Use the water flosser before brushing. It loosens debris first, and brushing immediately after clears whatever remains. Once daily is the standard recommendation, ideally after the biggest meal of the day. On tender days after an adjustment, switch to a massage or low-pressure mode rather than skipping the session entirely. A good approach for complete coverage: water flosser daily for the gumline and brackets, brushing twice a day for all surfaces, and traditional string floss at tight contacts a few times a week when you can manage it.
Foods to Avoid
Anything hard, sticky, or difficult to bite into can break brackets, dislodge wires, or jam itself into places you can’t clean. The American Association of Orthodontists specifically warns against hard candy, sticky candy (taffy, caramel), popcorn, nuts, ice, snack chips, pretzels, hard pizza crust, and bagels. Crunchy raw fruits and vegetables like whole apples and carrots can also snap a bracket if you bite directly into them.
You don’t have to give up fruits and vegetables entirely. Cut apples, carrots, and similar produce into small pieces and chew with your back teeth. Do the same with chewy cuts of meat. Safe, braces-friendly options include soft fruits like bananas and berries, cooked vegetables, pasta, yogurt, eggs, tender meats, and smoothies. If you drink juice or soda, rinse with water immediately afterward to protect your enamel.
Preventing White Spots
White spot lesions are chalky, permanent marks that form on teeth when plaque sits around brackets too long and leaches minerals from the enamel. They’re one of the most common and most preventable complications of braces. Beyond thorough brushing, a fluoride mouthwash adds a meaningful layer of protection. The ADA recommends fluoride rinse as an option for patients at higher risk of cavities, and one study found that a fluoride rinse formulated for orthodontic patients reduced white spot formation by 58%. Swish for about 30 seconds, making sure the liquid flows between all teeth and around every bracket.
Managing Soreness After Adjustments
After each adjustment appointment (typically every four to six weeks), expect soreness for about one to three days. Discomfort usually peaks on day one or two, then fades. It’s generally milder than the soreness you felt when your braces were first placed. Over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help if needed, taken as directed on the label.
Stick to soft foods during those first couple of days. Soups, mashed potatoes, smoothies, and yogurt are easier on tender teeth than anything that requires real chewing. Cold water and cold foods can also help dull the aching.
Using Orthodontic Wax
Brackets and wire ends can rub against your cheeks, lips, and tongue, especially in the first few weeks or after an adjustment. Orthodontic wax is your first line of defense. To apply it, wash your hands first, then brush your teeth so the wax sticks to a clean surface. Pinch off a piece about the size of a small pea, roll it into a ball between your fingers until it softens, and flatten it slightly. Press it gently onto the bracket or wire that’s causing irritation. You can use your tongue to adjust the placement. Replace the wax as needed throughout the day, particularly before eating.
Wearing Rubber Bands
Not everyone with braces needs rubber bands, but if your orthodontist prescribes them, wearing them consistently is one of the biggest factors in keeping your treatment on schedule. Most people are told to wear their elastics almost all the time, removing them only to eat and brush. Some only need them at night. Follow whatever schedule you’re given, because skipping days lets your teeth shift back and can add months to your treatment. Rubber bands lose their stretch, so change them multiple times a day or as often as your orthodontist recommends.
Daily Checks and Professional Cleanings
Run your tongue gently over your braces once a day to check for anything that feels loose, sharp, or out of place. A broken bracket or a poking wire won’t always cause pain right away, but leaving it unaddressed can slow your progress or damage the inside of your mouth. If you find something off, cover the area with orthodontic wax and contact your orthodontist.
Professional dental cleanings also become more important during orthodontic treatment. Most people without braces go every six months, but some orthodontic patients benefit from cleanings every three to four months, depending on how well they’re keeping up at home and their individual risk for gum disease or cavities.
Protecting Braces During Sports
If you play any contact sport, or even a sport where a ball or elbow could catch you in the face, wear a mouthguard designed specifically for braces. Standard mouthguards don’t fit well over brackets and can actually cause more damage during impact. Orthodontic mouthguards are built with extra room and flexibility to accommodate your hardware while still cushioning a blow.