Caring for your braces
At Darwin Orthodontics, we know that your orthodontic treatment is an investment in your health and wellbeing. In order to ensure the best results possible, it’s important that you look after and care for your braces.
You may have forgotten some of the instructions we’ve given you, so below are a few tips and tricks as reminders on how to care for your braces.
Keep your teeth clean
If you have braces, you must keep your teeth and gums very clean to avoid the build-up of plaque. Brush your teeth twice daily with a fluoride-based toothpaste. You should also continue visiting your family dentist for regular check-ups.
Watch what you eat
You can generally keep your lifestyle the same once you’ve been fitted with braces, but you will need to be careful about what you eat, as some foods can cause damage to your braces.
Foods to avoid
- Hard and sticky foods like toffee or sweets
- Biting into crunchy fruits or vegetables (carrots, apples and corn cobs)
- Popcorn
- Chewing gum
- Biting your nails or chewing on the ends of pens and pencils
- Smoothies and milkshakes
- Fruit and vegetables either softly cooked or cut up into bite-sized pieces
- Yoghurt
- Scrambled eggs, pancakes, mashed potatoes and porridge
Brace-friendly foods
Breakages and emergencies
There is rarely a real emergency in orthodontics, however, if you are experiencing any issues with your appliance or treatment please contact us.
If part of your brace becomes loose or broken, please call us as soon as the damage is noticed. Although uncommon, if something does break, remove anything loose from your mouth if you can and use your wax to prevent painful pokes until you can come to the office to see us.
Learn more about
braces treatment
If you are ready to learn more about your options for straighter teeth, we encourage you to schedule your initial consultation with our experienced clinician today.
Book a consultation