Caring for Your Smile
During Treatment
Braces care tips, emergency help, and retainer advice: everything you need between visits, all in one place. If something feels urgent, start with the emergency tips below. We’re always happy to help.
Orthodontic Emergency?
Call Us First.
Call (718) 238-9888. If we’re closed, follow the instructions on our voicemail and Dr. Costalos will help direct you to the right care. For a serious injury, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Something is poking you
Place orthodontic wax or sugar-free gum on the spot for immediate relief. If a wire end is poking your cheek, you can carefully trim it with sterilized nail clippers. Call us and we’ll try to see you the next morning.
A sore in your mouth
Rinse with warm salt water twice a day. Wax or sugar-free gum over the braces can reduce irritation. Schedule a visit if the sore hasn’t healed within a week.
A loose or broken bracket
If it comes off easily, remove it and save it; otherwise, cover it with wax. Call us and we’ll try to see you the next morning.
A broken or missing chain or elastic
This shouldn’t hurt. Use wax if you feel soreness, and call us for an appointment as soon as possible.
Lost or broken aligner or retainer
Call us. Depending on your progress, we may have you move to your next aligner or wear your previous one until a replacement arrives. Try not to go without, since teeth can start to shift.
Accident or injury
Call us and Dr. Costalos will help direct you to the right care. For a serious injury, go to the emergency room or call 911 first.
Braces Care: How to Keep Your Smile Healthy
We are passionate about clean teeth! We want your teeth to be beautiful when the braces come off. Braces create small ledges, nooks, and crannies where food can collect, which can lead to white spots, cavities, and gum problems. That makes brushing and flossing even more important. Handle your appliances carefully so you don’t break or loosen them.
Brushing
Brush right after every meal and especially before bed, at least two times a day. Use a soft toothbrush and toothpaste. Brush the outside of each tooth in small circles, focusing on where the gums and teeth meet, then brush the inside and chewing surfaces.
Flossing
Your toothbrush can’t reach between your teeth, so floss once a day. A floss threader makes it easy: thread the floss through it, slip it behind the archwire, then pull the floss between two teeth and gently under the gumline. A Waterpik water flosser is a great addition.
Rinsing
Rinse twice a day with an alcohol-free mouthwash and watch your teeth and braces sparkle.
Dealing with discomfort
When you first get braces, your teeth may feel tender for a few days. Dissolve one teaspoon of salt in a glass of lukewarm water and swish for about 30 seconds. If soreness continues, an over-the-counter pain reliever can help; follow the label directions. Your lips, cheeks, and tongue may be irritated for about a week while they adjust; we’re happy to give you orthodontic wax to cover the brackets. Just ask if you need more.
Loose teeth
If your teeth feel a little loose, don’t worry; this is normal. Teeth must loosen slightly to move. Once they’re in their new positions, they’ll firm up again.
What Can I Eat with Braces?
Don’t worry; you’ll be enjoying your favorite foods again in no time! In the meantime, take special care to avoid foods that can damage your braces. Limit sugary foods, which feed the bacteria that cause plaque and cavities.
Foods to Avoid
- Sticky foods: caramel, licorice, taffy, gummy candy, chewing gum
- Hard foods: nuts, hard candy, pretzels, chips, ice, hard bagels
- Foods you bite into: corn on the cob, whole apples, whole carrots, ribs
Foods to Enjoy
- Dairy: soft cheese, yogurt, pudding, milkshakes
- Breads and grains: soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins without nuts, pasta, rice
- Proteins: soft-cooked chicken and beef, meatballs, fish, eggs
- Fruits and vegetables: applesauce, bananas, berries, mashed potatoes, steamed veggies, beans
- Treats: ice cream without nuts, Jell-O, cupcakes
Tip: cut apples and carrots into thin slices, and cut corn off the cob.
Retainers:
Keeping Your New Smile for Life
Teeth naturally want to drift, especially in the first year after treatment. Retainers hold your results in place, so the smile you worked hard for stays right where it belongs.
Removable clear retainers are custom-made trays you wear as directed, usually full-time at first and then only at bedtime. Bonded (permanent) retainers are a thin wire attached behind your front teeth that works around the clock. Dr. Costalos will recommend the right option and tell you exactly how long to wear it.
Retainer Care Tips
- Brush your retainer gently with a toothbrush.
- Never put it in boiling water or the dishwasher.
- Always keep it in its case when it’s out of your mouth.
- Bring it to every appointment.
Lost or broken retainer? Call us promptly at (718) 238-9888 so we can make a replacement before your teeth have a chance to shift.
Need a Hand Between Visits?
Our team is a phone call away. Whether something broke, something pokes, or you just have a question, we’ll help you sort it out quickly.