After Getting Braces: First Week Guide

The First Few Days

Congratulations on starting your journey to a straighter smile! The first week is the toughest, but it gets much easier after that.

• •Soreness and tenderness are completely normal for 3-7 days as your teeth begin to move.
• •Your lips, cheeks, and tongue may feel irritated by the brackets — this improves as your mouth adjusts.
• •Apply orthodontic wax over any brackets or wires that rub against your cheeks or lips.
• •Over-the-counter painkillers (ibuprofen or paracetamol) can help with soreness.
• •Rinse with warm salt water if you develop any sore spots inside your mouth.

Foods to Eat & Avoid

Protecting your braces from damage is essential for staying on track with your treatment timeline.

• •Eat soft foods for the first week — dal, rice, pasta, yoghurt, bananas, scrambled eggs, soups.
• •Cut food into small pieces instead of biting directly — especially apples, pizza, and sandwiches.
• •Avoid hard foods — nuts, popcorn, hard candy, ice, raw carrots, corn on the cob.
• •Avoid sticky foods — chewing gum, toffee, caramel, jalebi.
• •Avoid biting into food with your front teeth — cut everything into smaller pieces first.

Keeping Your Braces Clean

Braces create extra spaces for food to get trapped. Excellent oral hygiene is non-negotiable during treatment.

• •Brush after every meal — food trapped in braces leads to cavities and staining.
• •Use a small interdental brush to clean between brackets and under wires.
• •Floss daily using a floss threader or orthodontic floss.
• •Use a fluoride mouthwash every night before bed.
• •Check your teeth in a mirror after brushing to make sure all food is removed.

What to Do If Something Breaks

• •Loose bracket — apply wax to prevent irritation and call us for an appointment. Do not try to remove it yourself.
• •Poking wire — use the eraser end of a pencil to gently push it away from your cheek, and cover with wax.
• •Lost elastic band — do not worry, we will replace it at your next visit unless instructed otherwise.
• •Broken wire — do not cut it yourself. Cover sharp ends with wax and contact us promptly.