Article written by Diamond Braces Clinical Staff. Article medically reviewed by Dr. Oleg Drut
Taking care of braces is one of the most important things you can do to protect your investment, keep your treatment on schedule, and ensure the best possible result.
Braces do the hard work of moving your teeth — but how you care for them every day determines how smooth that process is.
Patients who brush and floss consistently, avoid the wrong foods, and respond quickly to any issues finish treatment on time and with healthier teeth. Those who don't often face broken brackets, extended timelines, and enamel damage that can't be undone.
This guide covers everything you need to know: the daily routine, the weekly habits, the foods to avoid, how to manage pain, and what to do when something goes wrong.
Your Daily Braces Care Routine
The most important thing to understand about caring for braces is that your oral hygiene routine needs to change. Braces create dozens of new surfaces — brackets, wires, bands, ligatures — where food and plaque collect. A toothbrush alone cannot reach all of them. Your daily routine needs to be more thorough than it was before braces, and it needs to happen more often.
Brushing with Braces
Brush after every meal — not just morning and night. Food trapped against brackets begins causing damage within hours. The minimum is three times per day; after every meal is ideal.
Use a soft-bristle toothbrush — a soft brush is gentle enough on gums and enamel but effective on plaque. Electric toothbrushes are excellent for braces patients because the oscillating head cleans around brackets more thoroughly than manual brushing.
The correct technique:
- Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to the gumline
- Brush the area above each bracket, angling the bristles downward into the bracket
- Brush the area below each bracket, angling the bristles upward into the bracket
- Brush the bracket face directly
- Brush all chewing surfaces and the inside surfaces of all teeth
- Spend at least two full minutes — ideally longer with braces
Use fluoride toothpaste — fluoride strengthens enamel, which is especially important during braces treatment when plaque has more surfaces to accumulate on.
Full brushing guide for braces patients
Flossing with Braces
Flossing with braces is more time-consuming than without, but it is not optional. The spaces between teeth are the number one location for cavities during orthodontic treatment — and a toothbrush cannot reach them.
Floss at least once per day — before bed is ideal, so your teeth are clean overnight.
The best tools for flossing with braces:
- Floss threader — guides regular waxed floss under the archwire between each pair of teeth. The most thorough method
- Orthodontic super floss (Oral-B) — pre-threaded with a stiff end, spongy section, and regular floss. An all-in-one option
- Water flosser (Waterpik) — uses pressurized water to flush plaque from between teeth and around brackets. Fastest method and excellent for daily maintenance
- Interdental brushes — tiny bottle-brush tools that clean around bracket edges and under wires
The most effective daily routine combines a floss threader or super floss for deep cleaning with a water flosser for supplemental rinsing.
Full flossing guide for braces patients
Rinsing
Rinsing with a fluoride mouthwash after brushing and flossing reaches areas that both tools can miss. It also strengthens enamel and reduces bacteria around brackets. Make it the final step of your nightly routine.
Your Weekly Braces Care Habits
Beyond the daily routine, a few weekly habits keep your treatment on track.
Check your brackets and wires weekly — run your finger carefully along your teeth and look in the mirror. Confirm all brackets are firmly attached, no wires are poking or bent, and no ligatures are missing. Catching a loose bracket early prevents it from becoming a problem that delays treatment.
Replace your toothbrush every 3 months — or sooner if the bristles are splaying. Braces wear out toothbrushes faster than normal. A worn brush doesn't clean effectively.
Check your elastics if applicable — if your orthodontist has prescribed rubber bands as part of your treatment, wear them as directed and replace them as instructed. Inconsistent elastic wear is one of the most common causes of extended treatment times.
Foods to Avoid with Braces — and Why
Food choices are one of the most significant factors in how smoothly your braces treatment goes. The wrong foods can break brackets, bend wires, and create hygiene problems that lead to cavities.
Always avoid:
- Hard foods — hard candy, nuts, ice, raw carrots and apples (bite-sized is fine), bagels, hard pretzels, corn on the cob, pizza crust. Hard foods can snap a bracket or bend a wire in a single bite
- Sticky foods — caramel, taffy, gummies, chewing gum, licorice, toffee. Sticky foods wrap around brackets and are nearly impossible to clean off, dramatically increasing cavity risk
- Crunchy foods — popcorn, crunchy chips, hard crackers. Kernels and fragments lodge in and around brackets and can dislodge them
Be careful with:
- Chewy foods — tough meat, chewy bread, bagels. Cut into small pieces and chew carefully with back teeth
- Fruit — apples, pears, and stone fruits are fine when cut into small pieces rather than bitten directly
- Corn — cut off the cob rather than eating directly
- Crusty bread — soft sandwich bread is fine; avoid anything crusty or dense
Safe choices: Pasta, soft rice, eggs, soft fish, cooked vegetables, yogurt, soft fruit, and most dairy products are all excellent choices throughout treatment.
Complete guide to what you can and cannot eat with braces
How to Manage Pain and Soreness with Braces
Some degree of soreness is a normal part of braces treatment. Understanding when soreness is expected — and when it signals something that needs attention — helps you manage it effectively.
When Soreness Is Normal
After placement — your teeth will begin feeling sore 2–4 hours after braces are first placed. This peaks around day 2–3 and fades by the end of the first week.
After each adjustment appointment — tightening or replacing the archwire causes 1–3 days of mild soreness as teeth respond to the new pressure.
How to manage it:
- Take acetaminophen (Tylenol) as directed — ibuprofen is effective but some research suggests it may slightly slow tooth movement, so acetaminophen is generally preferred
- Eat soft foods for the first 2–3 days after adjustments
- Rinse with warm saltwater — one teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of warm water — to soothe inflamed gum tissue
- Use orthodontic wax on any bracket or wire causing irritation to the cheeks or lips
Full guide to managing braces pain
When to Call Your Orthodontist
Contact Diamond Braces if you experience:
- Sharp, persistent pain that does not improve within a few days
- A poking wire at the back of your mouth — temporarily address with wax, but an appointment is needed
- A loose or broken bracket — call to let your orthodontist know and get it re-cemented promptly
- A broken or bent wire — do not attempt to cut it at home without speaking to your orthodontist first
- Significant swelling around the gums or jaw — this can signal infection and warrants prompt evaluation
What to do if you have strong or sharp pain from braces
How to Handle Common Braces Problems at Home
Poking Wire
Cover the poking end with a small piece of orthodontic wax — roll it into a ball, dry the area with a tissue, and press it firmly over the wire. Call your orthodontist to have it trimmed at your next appointment or sooner if it is causing significant discomfort.
Loose Bracket
If a bracket feels loose but is still attached to the wire, leave it in place and cover it with wax if it is irritating. Do not pull it off. Call your orthodontist to schedule a repair appointment.
Lost Ligature
If one of the small elastic rings holding the wire to a bracket falls off, it is not usually an emergency. Call your office to let them know and they will assess whether you need to come in before your next scheduled appointment.
Mouth Sores
New brackets and wires can irritate the inside of the cheeks and lips during the first few weeks, sometimes causing small sores. Orthodontic wax reduces friction. Saltwater rinses and over-the-counter topical gels soothe existing sores. Most patients' cheeks toughen naturally within a few weeks.
Additional Braces Care Tips
Wear a mouthguard for sports — a custom-fitted mouthguard protects your brackets, wires, and teeth during contact sports and activities where impact is possible. A knocked bracket mid-treatment can add weeks to your timeline.
Avoid bad habits — nail biting, chewing on pens, and biting lip or cheek tissue all put unintended pressure on brackets. Be mindful of these habits during treatment.
Attend every scheduled appointment — adjustment appointments are not optional extras. They are the mechanism by which your teeth move. Missing or significantly delaying appointments extends your treatment time.
Drink water, not soda or juice — sugary and acidic drinks cause enamel erosion and feed bacteria around brackets. Water is always the safest choice between meals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you take care of braces?
Taking care of braces requires brushing after every meal with a soft-bristle toothbrush, flossing daily using a floss threader or water flosser, rinsing with fluoride mouthwash, avoiding hard, sticky, and crunchy foods, attending all scheduled adjustment appointments, and responding promptly to any broken brackets or poking wires.
How often should I brush with braces?
After every meal — at minimum three times per day. Food trapped against brackets begins causing plaque buildup and cavity risk within hours. Morning, after lunch, and before bed is the baseline routine; after every meal is ideal.
What foods should I avoid with braces?
Hard foods (hard candy, ice, raw apples, nuts, bagels, corn on the cob), sticky foods (caramel, gummies, taffy, chewing gum), and crunchy foods (popcorn, chips) should be avoided entirely. These can break brackets, bend wires, and create hygiene problems that damage enamel.
How do I manage soreness after getting braces?
Soreness after getting braces or after adjustment appointments is normal. Take acetaminophen as directed, eat soft foods for the first 2–3 days, rinse with warm saltwater, and use orthodontic wax on any bracket causing irritation. Soreness typically fades within 3–5 days.
What should I do if a bracket breaks?
If a bracket breaks or comes loose, leave it in place if it is still attached to the wire, cover it with orthodontic wax if it is causing irritation, and call your orthodontist to schedule a repair. Do not attempt to remove it yourself.
How do I floss with braces?
The most common method is a floss threader — guide regular waxed floss under the archwire, then slide it between each pair of teeth in a C-shape. Orthodontic super floss and water flossers are easier alternatives. Floss at least once per day.
Do I need to change my diet with braces?
Yes. Hard, sticky, and crunchy foods must be avoided for the entire duration of treatment. Soft foods, cooked vegetables, tender meat, eggs, pasta, soft fruits cut into pieces, dairy, and most normal foods are fine with care.
