Brace care and problems

• With a removable brace or Twin Block, remove it to eat and drink, then brush your teeth and put it straight back in.
• With a fixed brace, steer clear of hard, sticky and chewy foods (such as toffees, chewing gum, hard sweets and crusty bread) and cut food into small pieces.
• Avoid sugary and fizzy drinks, diet fizzy drinks and fruit juice included. Water and plain milk are best.
• Try to save sugary foods for mealtimes.

• Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, and after meals when you can. Spit out, but do not rinse.
• If your orthodontist or dentist advises a fluoride mouthwash, use it at a different time from brushing.
• Carry on going to your regular dentist for check-ups.

It is normal for teeth to ache for a few days after a brace is fitted or adjusted. You can take simple painkillers (always check with a parent and follow the instructions on the packet). If the pain does not settle, contact us for advice.

Rinse with warm salt water several times a day. If it is no better after a few days, contact us. With a fixed brace, orthodontic wax over the part that rubs can help.

Yes. Remove a removable brace or Twin Block for any sport, swimming included, and keep it in its case. Put it back in as soon as you have finished. Wear a gumshield for contact sports if your orthodontist advises it. If you have a fixed brace, wear a gumshield for contact sports – ask us about one that fits over your brace. More advice: sport and braces.

No. Remove your brace to eat or drink and keep it in its case. Once you have eaten, brush your teeth and put it straight back in.

• Whenever you brush your teeth, take your brace out and clean it with your toothbrush and toothpaste. Then rinse it in cool water.
• Clean it over a sink of water, so it is less likely to break if it slips out of your hand.
• Never use hot or boiling water – heat can bend the plastic so the brace stops fitting.

• When it is out of your mouth, always keep it in its hard case. Do not wrap it in a tissue or napkin – it can easily end up in the bin.
• Keep it out of reach of pets (dogs love chewing braces).
• When taking a removable brace out or putting it back in, hold the clasps with your fingertips.
• Never try to adjust, bend or repair it yourself.
• Musical instruments: if you play a brass or wind instrument, ask us whether you should take your removable brace out to play.
• Keep your model somewhere safe – the model of your teeth we gave you when your brace was fitted. You will need it if the brace breaks or is lost.

• Steer clear of hard, sticky and chewy foods, which can break the brace – for example toffees, chewing gum, hard sweets, crusty bread, nuts and popcorn.
• Cut food into small pieces. Slice apples and raw carrots instead of biting into them.
• Avoid fizzy and sugary drinks, including diet fizzy drinks and fruit juice. Plain milk and water are best.
• Save sugary foods for mealtimes.
• Avoid biting your nails or chewing pens and pencils.

Food gets caught easily around a brace. If it is not cleaned off, it can lead to permanent white marks (decalcification) and tooth decay around the brackets. These marks can remain once the brace is removed.

• Brush your teeth thoroughly after every meal and before bed with fluoride toothpaste. Spit out, but do not rinse.
• Brush above and below the brackets and along the gums. Use a mirror to check every tooth is clean.
• Use small interdental brushes to clean in between the brackets and underneath the wire. A single-tufted brush can help with hard-to-reach areas.
• Use a fluoride mouthwash every day, at another time of day from brushing (after lunch, for example).

Playing a brass or wind instrument with a brace can take a little getting used to. Wax can help.