Braces Academy: Everything You Need to Know About Orthodontics

To use a floss threader, thread about 12 to 18 inches of regular floss through the plastic loop, then guide the pointed end of the threader up under the archwire between two teeth. Pull the floss through, hold both ends, and slide it up and down against each tooth surface and gently under the gumline before pulling it back out and moving to the next gap. A Waterpik (water flosser) is often faster and easier, fill the reservoir with lukewarm water, use the orthodontic tip, lean over the sink with your mouth closed slightly, and trace the water stream along the gumline and between each bracket for about 60 seconds per arch. Waterpiks work especially well for kids and anyone who finds string flossing tedious, but they don’t fully replace floss. Ideally, use both: floss threader once a day, Waterpik after other meals when possible.

For a loose or broken bracket, don’t try to remove it, leave it in place on the wire and call the orthodontist to schedule a repair visit within a day or two. If the bracket is spinning or sliding on the wire and causing irritation, cover it with a small piece of orthodontic wax (available at any drugstore) until you can be seen. For a poking wire, first try gently pushing it flat against the tooth with a pencil eraser or the back of a clean spoon. If that doesn’t work, cover the sharp end with orthodontic wax, or as a last resort, trim the wire tip with clean nail clippers and cover the cut end with wax. Save any pieces that come completely off. Most bracket and wire issues aren’t true emergencies but do need attention within a few days to keep treatment on track. Visit our Emergency Care page for what to do outside office hours.

Post-adjustment soreness typically peaks 6 to 24 hours after your visit and fades within 3 to 5 days. Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen work well for most patients, take them as directed on the label, ideally an hour before your adjustment appointment for the most severe cases. Cold foods and drinks help numb the ache, so ice water, smoothies, yogurt, and ice pops are perfect the first day or two. Stick with soft foods like pasta, mashed potatoes, eggs, soup, and cooked vegetables until chewing feels normal again. A saltwater rinse (one teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) can soothe irritated cheeks and gums. If any bracket is rubbing the inside of your cheek, apply orthodontic wax to smooth it over. Sharp pain lasting more than a week, or pain from a broken bracket or wire, is worth calling the office about.

Regular chewing gum should be avoided with traditional or self-ligating braces because it sticks to brackets and wires and pulls them loose, but sugar-free gum specifically labeled as safe for braces (like some Orbit and Extra products) is generally okay in moderation. Coffee and tea are fine to drink but can stain the tooth-colored elastic ties on ceramic braces over time, giving the appearance of yellowing brackets; drinking through a straw and rinsing with water afterward helps. Coffee doesn’t stain the underlying teeth any more than usual. Soda is the bigger concern, the sugar and acid combination sits around brackets and dramatically raises the risk of cavities and permanent white-spot lesions on enamel during treatment. Diet sodas are still acidic and cause enamel erosion, so all sodas are best limited. Water is by far the best drink during treatment, and rinsing after any staining or sugary drink protects both your teeth and your brackets.

You don’t need special orthodontic toothpaste, but you may need to change how and how often you brush. A soft-bristled toothbrush is a must, medium and hard bristles can damage brackets and irritate gums. Electric toothbrushes (like Oral-B or Sonicare) generally clean around brackets more effectively than manual ones and are worth the investment during treatment, especially for kids and anyone with dexterity challenges. Look for a toothbrush head labeled for orthodontic use or with a V-shaped bristle pattern that fits around brackets. For toothpaste, any fluoride toothpaste from a mainstream brand works fine, no special orthodontic paste required. Some patients benefit from an added fluoride rinse (like ACT) at bedtime to help prevent decalcification, and an interdental brush (small tapered brush) reaches spots regular brushing misses. Replace your toothbrush or brush head every three months, or sooner if the bristles look frayed from the brackets.

Rubber band elastics do the heavy lifting for bite correction, they attach from brackets on your upper teeth to brackets on your lower teeth and apply the pulling force that fixes overbites, underbites, crossbites, and jaw alignment issues. Braces alone straighten teeth within each arch, but elastics are what move the upper and lower arches into proper alignment with each other. And yes, wearing them exactly as prescribed matters enormously. Most orthodontists prescribe 20 to 22 hours of daily wear, taking them out only for eating and brushing. Skipping elastic wear is one of the top reasons treatment takes longer than planned, teeth without elastic force will drift back to their old positions between visits, effectively resetting progress. Change them at least twice a day for freshness and force, keep spare bags with you at school or work, and if you forget for a day, get back on schedule immediately rather than doubling up.

Most orthodontists recommend waiting until braces come off to whiten your teeth. The reason is simple: whitening only works on tooth surfaces the whitening agent can actually reach, and brackets cover a small section of each tooth. Whitening around brackets creates two-toned teeth once the braces are removed, bright white outer areas with darker squares where the brackets sat. That said, whitening toothpastes and gentle whitening rinses used during treatment are generally fine because they lift only surface stains and don’t produce enough contrast to cause noticeable shading differences. Invisalign patients have more flexibility, some orthodontists prescribe whitening gel that’s placed inside the aligners for a two-in-one treatment. Once your braces come off, waiting about a month before starting a whitening treatment gives newly exposed enamel time to remineralize, which reduces sensitivity and produces more even results.

Bad breath during orthodontic treatment almost always comes from food particles and bacteria trapped around brackets, wires, or under aligner trays, and it’s completely fixable with better hygiene. Brush thoroughly after every meal, floss (or Waterpik) at least once daily, and clean your tongue with a tongue scraper or the back of your toothbrush, since the tongue traps a huge amount of odor-causing bacteria. For Invisalign patients, rinse trays with cool water every time you remove them and clean them with a soft toothbrush and mild soap or Invisalign cleaning crystals daily, never use hot water (it warps them) or colored toothpaste (it stains them). Drink plenty of water throughout the day, since dry mouth worsens breath. An antimicrobial mouthwash can help as an add-on but shouldn’t replace brushing. If bad breath persists despite good hygiene, book a checkup with your general dentist to rule out cavities or gum inflammation, which cause a distinct odor of their own.

The Orthodontic Studio provides expert braces care and full patient support at two convenient New Jersey locations. Our Basking Ridge office is at 65 S Maple Ave, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 (908-766-2444), and our Mendham office is at 5 Cold Hill Rd S., Unit 12, Mendham, NJ 07945 (973-543-6644). Both offices are led by Dr. Kenneth Banasiak, a board-certified orthodontist who has treated patients ages 6 to 85 throughout Somerset County, Morris County, and surrounding communities including Bernardsville, Bedminster, Chester, and Morristown. We offer traditional metal braces, ceramic braces, self-ligating braces, Invisalign clear aligners, and full patient education so you always know what to expect at every stage of treatment. Between-visit questions, broken bracket concerns, or comfort issues can be handled by calling either office directly. To become a patient, request an appointment online or call the office nearest you.