Life with braces, made simple
Life with braces settles into an easy routine within a week or two. Expect mild tenderness at first, soothed by the relief wax we give you, then soft foods for a few days. After that you eat, clean and play sport much as normal, you just brush a little more carefully and skip hard and sticky foods. Here is exactly how.
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Reviewed by Dr Shaz MacAvoy, Specialist Orthodontist. Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (Orthodontics), registered with the Dental Council of New Zealand.
What to expect at the start
The first few days are the biggest adjustment, and they are gentler than most people fear. A little tenderness, a bit of wax, and you are away.
A little soreness, briefly
For the first three to five days your teeth feel tender as they begin to move. It is mild and short lived and settles on its own. Paracetamol or ibuprofen taken as directed helps if you want it, and soft foods make those days easy.
Relief wax for comfort
We send you home with orthodontic wax. Dry the bracket, pinch off a small piece and press it over anything that rubs your lip or cheek. It gives the skin time to toughen up over the first week or two.
Getting used to them
Speaking and eating feel different for a day or two, then quickly become second nature. Warm salt water rinses ease any tender spots. Within a week most people forget the braces are even there.
Eat well, protect your braces
Soft foods for the first few days while everything settles, then most of your normal diet is back on the menu. The rule for the whole treatment is simple: nothing hard, sticky or chewy, because those are what bend wires and pop brackets off.
Easy on your braces
Soft, brace friendly foods to lean on, especially early.
- Pasta, rice and soft breads
- Eggs, yoghurt and smoothies
- Soft fruit and cooked vegetables
- Fish, mince and tender meat
- Cheese, soup and mashed potato
Best avoided
The hard, sticky and chewy foods that damage braces.
- Hard nuts, lollies and ice
- Toffee, muesli bars and chewing gum
- Popcorn and crusty bread
- Whole apples and raw carrot, cut them up
- Sticky sweets that pull at brackets
Cleaning around your brackets
Braces give plaque more places to hide, so cleaning takes a little longer than before. Do it well and your teeth stay healthy and bright right through treatment.
Brush after every meal
Brush gently for two minutes after meals, angling the brush above and below each bracket. A soft brush and fluoride toothpaste are all you need. Food shows on braces, so a quick mirror check keeps your smile fresh.
Clean between the teeth
Interdental brushes slide under the wire and around each bracket to clear what a toothbrush misses. Floss daily too, using a floss threader or superfloss to reach beneath the wire. This is the habit that protects your enamel.
Keep up your check ups
Careful cleaning prevents marks and swollen gums and keeps treatment on track. Keep seeing your dentist and hygienist for regular check ups while you are in braces, just as you would normally.
Sport, mouthguards and the odd niggle
Braces do not put your life on hold. You can keep playing sport, and the small hiccups that come up are easy to handle at home.
Playing sport
Keep playing the sports you love. For contact sports, wear an orthodontic mouthguard over your braces and we will help you choose the right one. Braces and a mouthguard work together to protect your teeth and lips.
If a bracket or wire comes loose
It is rarely urgent. Leave a loose bracket on the wire and cover any sharp bit with wax, and if a wire pokes, tuck it down or cover it, then call us. Our orthodontic emergencies guide has quick fixes.
We are here between visits
Something not feeling right? Phone us on (09) 520 1880. Most small niggles wait comfortably until your next visit, and we will always fit you in quickly if something needs attention sooner.
Life with braces, at a glance
Thinking about braces, or just started?
Whether you are weighing up braces or you have just had them fitted, we are here to make it easy. Explore how braces work at Milk, or book a free Smile Assessment and we will talk you through every step.
Answered honestly
Do braces hurt?
Your teeth feel tender for the first few days after braces go on and after each adjustment, because the teeth are gently moving. It is mild and short lived. Soft foods, warm salt water rinses and ordinary pain relief make it easy, and the relief wax we give you soothes any spot that rubs.
What foods do I need to avoid with braces?
Skip anything hard, sticky or chewy, because these bend wires and knock brackets off. That means no hard nuts or lollies, no toffee, chewing gum, popcorn, ice or crusty bread, and cut apples and carrots into pieces first. Almost everything else is fine once any first week tenderness has passed.
How do I clean my teeth with braces on?
Brush gently for two minutes after every meal, angling the brush above and below each bracket, and clean between the teeth daily with interdental brushes and floss threaded under the wire. Keep up your regular dental check ups. Careful cleaning protects your enamel and keeps treatment on track.
What should I do if a bracket or wire comes loose?
It is rarely an emergency. Leave a loose bracket sitting on the wire and cover anything sharp with orthodontic wax, and if a wire is poking gently tuck it down or cover it with wax, then phone us on (09) 520 1880. See our orthodontic emergencies guide for simple fixes you can do at home.
Ready when you are
A free 20 minute Smile Assessment, in the clinic or over Zoom. No referral needed, no obligation, just honest specialist advice on your smile and the best way to get there.