Caring for your braces: a simple daily routine
Braces do the hard work of straightening your teeth — but only if you keep them clean. Here's a simple routine that takes the guesswork out of looking after them.
Getting braces is the start of a journey towards a straighter, healthier smile — and the daily care you give them along the way makes a real difference to the result. The good news is that looking after braces is mostly about building a few simple habits. Here's the routine we recommend to patients at the clinic.
Brush after every meal
Braces give food a lot of new places to hide. Brushing after each meal — not just morning and night — keeps plaque from building up around the brackets, where it can leave permanent marks on the enamel once the braces come off.
Use a soft toothbrush and angle it to clean above and below each bracket, as well as the surface of every tooth. Take your time: two full minutes is the goal. An interdental brush is excellent for reaching the small spaces around the wires.
Don't skip flossing
Flossing with braces takes a little patience, but it matters more than ever. A floss threader or special orthodontic floss helps you guide it under the wire and between the teeth. If you find traditional floss fiddly, a water flosser is a genuinely good alternative and much quicker.
Be kind to your wires
Some foods are simply braces' enemies. Hard, crunchy and sticky things — nuts, hard sweets, ice, chewing gum, crusty bread — can bend wires or pop a bracket loose, which means an extra trip to the clinic and a slower result.
You don't have to give up the foods you love forever. Cut harder items like apples and carrots into small pieces, and let very chewy foods become occasional treats rather than everyday snacks.
Manage the occasional ache
It's normal for teeth to feel tender for a day or two after braces are fitted or adjusted — that tenderness is the teeth beginning to move. Soft foods and an ordinary pain reliever make it easy. If a wire is rubbing, a small piece of orthodontic wax over the spot brings quick relief.
When to call the clinic
Get in touch if a bracket comes loose, a wire breaks or starts poking uncomfortably, or you have pain that doesn't settle. These things happen and are easy to fix — leaving them, though, can slow your treatment down. A quick message on WhatsApp is the fastest way to let us know.
Stick with the routine and your visits will be smooth, your treatment will stay on schedule, and the smile waiting at the end will be well worth it.
Written by Dr. Bilal Barake
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