Life with Braces

Life with Braces

Now that you have your braces, how do you take care of them?

It’s important for you to know how to properly take care of your braces throughout your entire orthodontic treatment. This section will give you some guidelines to help you through your journey. 

Need to know how to not damage your braces? Take a look at our Wear and Care List.

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My teeth are sore... is that normal?

Yes! When you first get your braces, you will notice that your teeth and mouth will feel a little tender and sore.  This is perfectly normal and we promise your mouth will not be sore forever! To relieve the pain, we recommend dissolving one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of lukewarm water. Swish and gargle this solution in your mouth for just a couple of minutes (do not swallow the saltwater).

If pain is more severe and does not go away after rinsing, you can also try taking a pain reliever. It is also not uncommon for your lips, cheeks, and tongue to become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become used to braces. We would be happy to give you some wax so you can put it over your braces to lessen the tenderness. If you need so wax, please let us know!

My teeth feel loose... will they fall out?

No! If your teeth begin feeling a little loose, don’t worry; this is normal. Your braces first loosen your teeth to move them into the right position. Once your teeth have been repositioned, they will no longer be loose.

Something feels loose on my braces...

The wires and bands on your braces may come loose. If this happens, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can check and repair your appliance. If any piece of your appliance comes off, be sure to save it and bring it to the office with you.

You can temporarily fix the loose wire by using the back of a spoon or a eraser end of a pencil to carefully and gently push the wire back into place. If the loose wire is causing irritation to your lips or cheeks, put wax or a wet cotton ball over the broken wire to relieve the pain. Check out the Emergencies page for more details.

Take care of your appliances

Damaged appliances can increase the length of your treatment process, so be sure to take care of all your appliances. Your teeth and jaw can only move into their correct positions if you consistently wear the rubber bands, headgear, retainer, or other appliances prescribed by your doctor.

Playing sports with braces

Game, Set, Match – we have great news for athletes! You can still play sports even while undergoing orthodontic treatment! If you do play sports, it’s recommended that you wear a mouth guard to protect your teeth and your appliance. Let your doctor know if you need help finding the right mouth guard for the best protection.

In case of a sports emergency, be sure to immediately check your mouth and appliance for damage. If you notice any loose teeth or appliance damage, please contact our office right away.  Look at our Emergencies page to see how to ease some discomfort before your appointment.