Essential Care: Tips for Living With Braces

Last Updated on February 5, 2025

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. This page is dedicated to living with braces, as well as a few tips and tricks. Learn below what foods to avoid and what foods are ok to eat with braces. As always, if you have any questions about taking care of your braces or have any issues, Dr. Gen and his team are always standing by to help; all you have to do is reach out.

Eating With Braces

Don’t worry. You’ll be eating popcorn and snacking on potato chips again in no time! However, 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 If You Have Braces

Chewy foods — bagels, licorice
Crunchy foods — popcorn, chips, ice
Sticky foods — caramel candies, chewing gum (sugar-free gum is okay)
Hard foods — nuts, hard candies
Foods you must bite into — corn on the cob, apples, carrots

Foods That You CAN Eat With Braces

Dairy — soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks
Breads — soft tortillas, pancakes, mufﬁns without nuts
Grains — pasta, cooked rice
Meats/poultry — cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats
Seafood — tuna, salmon, crab cakes
Vegetables — mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans
Fruits — applesauce, bananas, sliced fruit, most berries (but watch out for seeds)
Treats — ice cream without nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, cake

Hygiene With Braces

Use a soft-bristled toothbrush with a small head. Electric and sonic toothbrushes are also acceptable.
Brush your teeth after meals and snacks.
If having eaten while away from home, use your interdental brush to dislodge any food that may get caught around your braces.
Rinse with water to dislodge food from your braces and to keep sugar from sitting on your teeth.
Floss your teeth at least once a day.
Have a checkup with your dentist every 6 months.
Limit consumption of pop, juices, and sports drinks as they may cause white spots and cavities.

Appliance Care

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 rubber bands, headgear, a retainer, or other appliances prescribed by your doctor.

Playing Sports with Braces

Game, Set, Match – we have great news for athletes! You can still play sports even while undergoing orthodontic treatment! If you do play sports, it’s recommended that you wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and your appliances. Let your doctor know if you need help finding the right mouthguard for the best protection.

In case of a sports emergency, be sure to immediately check your mouth and your appliance for any damage that may have occurred. If you notice any loose teeth or if your appliance has been damaged, please contact our office right away. You can temporarily relieve the discomfort with wax or by rinsing your mouth with warm saltwater. You can repeat this several times a day for the first few days.

Handling Soreness, Loose Teeth, or Loose Wires and Brackets

Initial soreness or loose teeth are perfectly normal. Any soreness is only temporary, and as far as loose teeth, your braces must first loosen your teeth in order to move them into the right position. Once your teeth have been repositioned, they will no longer be loose.

If the wires and bands on your braces come loose, please contact us as soon as possible 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.

For more on what to do during unexpected moments like these, visit our orthodontic emergencies page.