How to Care for Braces After Adjustments

Braces are dental solution when teeth are descending from the gums sideways, the teeth are not spaced sufficiently in the mouth or there are other oral problems which require repair. Caring for braces at home reduces the amount of orthodontic visits and repairs required while the braces are being worn. When braces are well-cared for, the chance of needing braces longer than the typical one to three years is also shortened.

Things You'll Need

• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Floss

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Instructions

• 1

  Brush your teeth at least twice a day. The outside of the teeth, which is the side facing the lips and cheeks, is brushed while holding the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle toward the gum line between the toothbrush and tooth. Use the same angle for the inside teeth. The chewing teeth, or the surface where the food is ground for digestion, is brushed with a gentle back and forth motion over the surface. Focus on a few teeth at a time to ensure all teeth are cleaned.

• 2

  Floss your teeth. Use a straight piece of floss as opposed to a floss pick. Slip the floss between the gum line and the wire of the braces. Move the floss up to the gum line and wrap the floss around the front of the tooth. Slip the floss past the tooth and gently move the floss back and forth. This method cleans between two teeth at the same time.

• 3

  Eat foods properly. Do not eat sticky foods, such as gum, gummy bears, fruit snacks or taffy. Avoid hard foods, such as popcorn, hard pretzels, ice, hard candy or corn on the cob. Meat cannot be eaten off the bone. Apples, carrots and other hard fruits or vegetables must be cut into bite-size pieces. Hard bread and pizza crust must be broken into bite-size pieces. If these precautions are ignored, the wires will bend and the braces or spacers will be pulled out of the mouth.