How to look after your fixed braces: tips for healthy teeth and a comfortable smile

Booking an appointment to have your fixed braces fitted at Cheltenham and Cotswold Dental is a big step toward achieving a straighter, healthier smile! To get the best results from your treatment, it is important to take good care of them. Looking after your braces not only ensures your treatment progresses smoothly, but also helps prevent discomfort and dental problems along the way. Here are some simple but essential tips to follow.

Be careful with what you eat!

Sugary foods and drinks (such as fizzy drinks, sweets, and sticky treats) can lead to tooth decay around your braces, leaving white or brown marks on your teeth after treatment. Having one sugary food or drink once per day, with a meal should not cause any issues, but sugary things multiple times per day or between meals can.

Hard foods (such as nuts, popcorn, ice, chewing gum or crusty bread), nail biting or pen chewing can bend wires or break brackets. This can result in the need for extra appointments, longer treatment or in some cases, the need to stop treatment early.

Keep your teeth and braces clean!

Food easily gets trapped in braces, so keeping them clean is a must. Please brush thoroughly with an electric toothbrush or manual toothbrush and interdental brushes two or three times per day. Please use interdental brushes and rinse after all snacks. Use a fluoride toothpaste to prevent decay and rinse with a fluoride mouthwash at a different time to brushing. A water flosser can also help clean under the wires and around fixed retainers (if you have these after orthodontic treatment).

Managing discomfort

It’s normal to feel some discomfort when your braces are first fitted and each time they are adjusted. When your braces are first fitted, please ensure you have soft food for the first week and most patients also use simple over the counter pain relief for 2-3 days. When you have your braces adjusted, we suggest soft food for a few days. Some patients use pain relief every adjustment appointment and some patients don’t need to.

It is also normal for the braces to rub when they are first fitted. If so, please apply a small ball of the orthodontic wax supplied to the bracket which is rubbing and any ulcers should resolve in a few days. Fixed braces can rub later during treatment and you can also use wax then. However if the rubbing is due to a sharp wire, you may need to let us know in case it is something we need to help you with.

Please try not to miss or attend late for appointments

Regular visits for brace adjustments are important to keep your treatment progressing smoothly. Missing appointments or attending late can result in longer treatment time, so please let us know as soon as possible if you cannot attend your appointment or if you will be late. That way we can rebook your appointment.

Caring for your braces doesn’t have to be difficult. By avoiding sugary and hard foods, keeping your teeth clean, and managing discomfort, you’ll make your journey to a beautiful smile at Cheltenham and Cotswold Dental much more comfortable!