Caring for your braces is one of the most important parts of your orthodontic journey. The better you look after them, the more comfortable treatment will feel, the more efficiently your teeth will move, and the sooner your braces will come off. With the right habits—especially around cleaning, diet, and handling—you can protect your teeth, prevent breakages, and keep your smile progressing exactly as planned.
What to Expect in the First Few Days
Braces work through a combination of brackets, wires, and gentle pressure applied over time. The brackets are bonded to your teeth using a special orthodontic adhesive that is set with a professional-grade light. While the brackets feel secure straight away, the adhesive continues to strengthen for up to 72 hours.
For the first three days, we recommend eating soft foods such as:
- Soup
- Yoghurt
- Pasta or noodles
- Mashed vegetables
- Soft pies or cooked rice
This helps protect the brackets during the initial setting period and ensures your mouth can adjust comfortably.
Managing Discomfort in the First Week
Having braces placed is generally comfortable, but you may feel mild to moderate discomfort for the first 3–5 days as the ligaments around the teeth begin to stretch. The discomfort is temporary, normal, and a sign your braces are beginning to work.
Orthodontic wax can be used to cushion any brackets or wires rubbing on cheeks or lips and provide relief. To help manage pain, it is recommended to take paracetamol regularly for the first couple of days. If needed, ibuprofen can be taken when paracetamol alone isn’t effective.
Brushing and Flossing During Treatment
To achieve the best orthodontic results, your teeth and gums must stay clean. Braces create small spaces that can trap food particles, increasing the risk of plaque build-up, decay, and gum inflammation.
At your “bond-up” appointment, you’ll receive a starter oral hygiene kit, including interdental brushes and a toothbrush designed to help you get into those hard-to-reach areas around your braces.
How to Brush with Braces
- Use a soft-head toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste.
- Brush for 3–4 minutes, morning and night.
- Pay special attention to the gumline, the brackets, and the space between the wire and the tooth surface.
- Rinse after meals whenever possible, especially if brushing isn’t immediately convenient.
Flossing With Braces
- Use super-floss or orthodontic floss threaders.
- Gently guide the floss between the wire and the tooth.
- Carefully work the floss back and forth between the teeth, being mindful not to pull forcefully against the brackets or wire.
Why Good Hygiene Matters
Poor oral hygiene during braces treatment can cause:
- Decay around brackets
- Staining or white spots
- Swollen or bleeding gums
- Gum disease
- Slower tooth movement (which means longer treatment)
In severe cases, orthodontists may even pause treatment until hygiene improves. Keeping your teeth and braces clean ensures your smile develops safely and successfully.
Foods to Avoid While You Have Braces
Food choices play a major role in caring for your braces. Certain foods can get stuck, bend wires, pop brackets off the teeth, or prolong treatment if breakages occur.
- Hard foods: apples, carrots, stone fruit, pork crackling, nuts, popcorn, hard muesli bars
- Chewy or sticky foods: caramels, toffees, gummy lollies, chewing gum
- Foods requiring a hard bite: corn on the cob, ribs
- Non-food habits: nail biting, pen chewing, crunching ice
Eating the wrong foods once or twice may not cause issues, but repeated breakages can significantly slow down treatment. Encouraging children to make braces-friendly choices on their own helps protect their smile and keeps treatment on schedule.
When in doubt, remember this golden rule: If it’s hard, sticky, or chewy—it’s not braces-friendly.
Breakages of Braces: What You Need to Know
Breakages do more than inconvenience you—they delay treatment and can even reverse some of the tooth movement already achieved. Breakages are especially common among children and teenagers because they snack frequently and may not always recognise when a food is too hard or sticky. Teaching kids what breakages look like ensures small problems don’t turn into big setbacks.
Take a clear photo of the breakage and email it to the orthodontic team before your next appointment. This allows assessment of whether the issue needs urgent attention.
For the first two weeks of treatment, emergency appointments for breakages are free of charge, allowing new patients time to adjust. After that, emergency fees apply as outlined in your treatment plan.
For younger patients, paying for these breakages with their own pocket money can help them understand the importance of caring for their braces and maintaining responsibility for their treatment.
As your teeth shift, a wire may extend from the back bracket and cause irritation. If this happens, avoid manipulating the wire yourself. Call us so we can guide you through temporary solutions or arrange a clinic visit to fix the issue. Use orthodontic wax on the irritated area until your appointment.
Many patients also report feeling their teeth move during treatment. This is completely normal and will settle as the teeth find new, stable positions.
If you play a contact sport such as rugby, hockey, or martial arts, wear a mouthguard to protect your braces and teeth. Because teeth move quickly during treatment, the mouthguard will need weekly reshaping to maintain a safe fit.
Stay Committed to Your Journey
Orthodontic treatment is an investment in your long-term oral health and confidence. The more care you put into your braces, the smoother and faster your treatment will be.
If you ever feel unsure about caring for your braces or notice anything unusual, contact our orthodontic team today—we’re here to support you at every step of your treatment journey.
Shakespeare Orthodontics: Shaping a Smile You Will Love
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Our team of specialist orthodontists at Shakespeare Orthodontics includes:
- Dr Mo Al‑Dujaili, BDS, DClinDent, MRACDS‑Orth, MOrthRCSEd
- Dr Azza Al‑Ani, BDS, DClinDent, MRACDS‑Orth, MOrthRCSEd
- Dr Adriana Perez, BDS (Ven/Esp), MDS‑Orth (Arg)
They provide expert care across our Auckland clinics in Takapuna, Epsom, Warkworth, and Howick, offering tailored treatment based on your individual needs.
PLEASE NOTE: This article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical or orthodontic advice. Each patient’s dental and orthodontic needs are unique and require personalised assessment. For accurate diagnosis and treatment planning, please consult a registered specialist orthodontist.
