A daily guide to caring for your braces
Photo for illustration only. It is not a photo of a patient or a treatment result.
Braces that are looked after well mean smoother treatment, healthier teeth and a nicer result at the end. This is the routine we go through with every braces patient in the chair, written down so you can come back to it.
The first two weeks are the hardest. After that it becomes a habit, and cleaning takes only a few minutes more than before. Here is the order we suggest, plus what to do on the days something goes wrong.
Brushing after every meal
Food loves to hide around brackets and wires. Plaque that sits there for weeks can leave permanent white marks on the enamel, and those marks stay visible after the braces come off. This is the single biggest reason we keep going on about brushing.
Aim for a proper brush after every meal, two minutes each time, using a soft brush. If you are out and cannot brush, rinse hard with plain water and brush as soon as you get home.
Step by step
- Rinse first. A hard swish with plain water loosens the big bits so your brush is not fighting them.
- Gum line first. Hold the brush at about 45 degrees towards the gum line and use small circles, roughly ten seconds per small area.
- Angle down onto the top of each bracket, then angle up onto the bottom of each bracket. Brackets have three faces that trap food, and this is how you reach two of them.
- Brush the inside surfaces and the chewing surfaces. The tongue side is the one most people rush. Slow down there.
- Interdental brush under the wire. Slide it in gently between two brackets, in and out a few times, then move to the next gap.
- Check your work. Look in a mirror, or run your tongue along the brackets. If it feels furry, it is not clean yet.
- 1Above the bracket. Angle the bristles down onto the top edge of the bracket.
- 2The bracket face and the wire. Straight on, small circles, do not scrub hard.
- 3Below the bracket, along the gum line. The spot most people miss, and the spot where white marks start.
The tools that actually help
You do not need a drawer full of gadgets. A handful of things cover almost everything, and most of them cost only a few ringgit at any pharmacy.
Soft or orthodontic toothbrush
Soft bristles only. An orthodontic brush has a V-shaped groove down the middle that sits over the wire.
Interdental brush
The tiny one shaped like a Christmas tree. Brilliant for the gaps under the wire and between brackets. Keep one in your bag.
Floss threader or superfloss
A stiff plastic loop that carries the floss under the wire so you can still clean between the teeth.
Water flosser (optional)
Not a replacement for brushing, but very good at flushing out what is left, especially at night.
Orthodontic wax
A small ball of wax over a sharp spot buys you comfort until we can see you. Ask us for some at any visit.
A take-home kit
We put the basics together in one pouch so you are not hunting for each item. Ask at the front desk.
Flossing and rinsing
Brushing cleans three sides of a tooth. Flossing cleans the two sides the brush cannot reach, and with braces those sides are exactly where trouble starts.
- Thread it under the wire. Push the stiff end of the threader between the wire and the tooth, then pull the floss through behind it.
- Hug each tooth. Curve the floss into a C against one tooth, slide it gently up and down, then repeat against its neighbour.
- Once a day is enough. Night time is best. It takes longer at first, then settles at around five minutes.
- Finish with a fluoride mouthwash. Swish for a minute and do not rinse with water afterwards, so the fluoride stays on the enamel around the brackets.
Food to avoid, and easy swaps
Nothing on this list is banned forever. It is a list of things that pop brackets off, and every popped bracket is an extra trip to the clinic. Cut it small, chew at the back, and most of your normal food is still fine.
| Avoid | Why | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
| Nuts, ice, hard keropok, bones | Hard enough to pop a bracket straight off | Ground nuts, let the ice melt, softer keropok |
| Chewing gum, caramel, dodol, toffee | Clings to the wire and pulls at brackets | A little soft chocolate, then brush |
| Whole apples, corn on the cob, thick burgers | Needs a hard bite with the front teeth | Cut into small pieces, chew with the back teeth |
| Baguette crust, hard biscuits, tough jerky | Tugs the bracket sideways as you tear it | Soak in soup, or tear it up before eating |
| Fizzy drinks, sweet tea, sweetened coffee all day | Acid plus sugar sitting around the brackets | Plain water. If you do have one, finish it in one go and rinse |
| Biting pens, nails, ice cubes out of habit | Quiet habits, and a very common cause of repairs | Break the habit, and find something else to keep your hands busy |
Managing the first week
Your teeth will feel tender for the first few days after the braces go on, and again for a day or two after each adjustment. That aching feeling is the teeth beginning to move. It usually eases within three to five days.
Eat soft for two or three days
Porridge, soup, eggs, yoghurt, bananas, steamed fish, well-cooked noodles. Warm, not hot.
Warm salt water rinse
Half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, two or three times a day. It soothes sore cheeks and small ulcers.
Wax on the rough spots
Dry the bracket with a tissue first, then press a small ball of wax over it. Your cheeks toughen up within a couple of weeks.
Pain relief, if you need it
An ordinary over-the-counter painkiller taken as directed on the packet is usually enough. Ask your pharmacist or tell us if anything you take does not agree with you.
Speaking feels odd for a few days too, especially with lingual braces that sit behind the teeth. Reading out loud for ten minutes a day helps your tongue find its new positions faster.
Call us if the pain is severe, keeps getting worse after day three, or comes with swelling. That is not the usual pattern and we would rather look at it.
Loose bracket or a wire that pokes
It happens to almost everyone at some point. Do not panic, and please do not try to fix it yourself with pliers or nail clippers. Here is what to do while you wait for us.
A bracket comes off but stays on the wire
Leave it where it is. Put wax over it if it rubs, chew on the other side, and phone us for a repair appointment.
A bracket comes off completely
Keep it in a small container and bring it with you. Do not swallow it, and do not try to stick it back on.
A wire end is poking your cheek
Dry the area, cover the sharp end with wax, and call us. If it is long enough to reach, you can press it gently towards the tooth with the rubber end of a pencil. Never cut a wire yourself.
A small elastic ring falls off
Not an emergency. Keep the area clean and tell us at your next visit so we can replace it.
A loose bracket left alone for weeks does nothing useful. That tooth simply stops moving while the rest carry on, and the arch has to be brought back into line later. Read more about how braces actually move teeth if you want the mechanics.
Why a missed visit costs you time
Braces work in small steps. At each visit we change or tighten the wire, and that wire has a limited amount of push in it. Once it has done its work, it sits there passive and nothing more happens until it is changed.
So a visit you skip is not just a delay of a few days. It is a few weeks where your teeth are wearing the braces without moving. Most adjustment visits fall every four to six weeks, and most full treatments run somewhere around 18-24 months depending on the case.
If weekdays are hard for you, take a weekend slot. We are open on Saturday from 9:30am and Sunday from 10:00am, which is usually the easiest time for students and anyone working office hours.
And when you cannot make it, message us early. An empty chair helps nobody, and an early message usually means we can move you to a nearer date.
Your daily checklist
Tick these off as you go. Nothing is saved and nothing is sent anywhere, it just resets when you reload the page.
One last thing. Keep going after the braces come off. The retainer is what holds the result, and it is included in both of our payment plans. Teeth drift back if the retainer sits in a drawer.
