Caring for your Smile and Braces or Invisalign during your Smile Journey

Working to improve your smile with braces or Invisalign clear aligners is a big responsibility, especially for people with busy schedules and active lives. Creating good oral hygiene habits right from the start, however, is an effective way to maintain your mouth’s health and beauty while improving your smile on the go. See tips below on how to get started.

Check out these tips to keep your orthodontic work strong and your teeth healthy while maintaining your active life.

Think Before you Eat

What you put in your mouth when you are wearing braces or Invisalign matters. Before you crunch down on the usual snacks you consumed before you had them, ask yourself if your bite will harm attachments or brackets or your teeth. If it will, consider a different snack!

One wrong bite can lead to a tremendous setback for your long-term orthodontic goals, be mindful of what you consume and help us help you!

Keeping your Orthodontic Treatment on the right track

Keeping your braces in good condition is key to achieving the results you are hoping for when it’s time to remove them. For this reason, it’s very important to protect them from damage by avoiding foods that could harm you brackets and wires. These include:

Hard foods: raw vegetables, nuts
Crunchy foods: chips, popcorn
Excessively chewy foods: pizza crusts, beef jerky

Consider bringing your own snacks that are braces-friendly to work, school, or activities to ensure that you have options that won’t harm your appliances in a pinch.

Tiny Steps Make a Big Difference

Making sure that your teeth stay healthy while wearing braces or Invisalign can seem like a daunting task, especially when living an active life, but creating good habits early on can make a big difference in getting the smile you’re hoping for sooner than later. The secret to long-term success is in caring for your orthodontic work properly.

Caring for Traditional Braces

Choose food options that are soft and easy to chew.
Drink water after consuming sweets to remove excess sugar from your teeth.
Cut food into bite-sized pieces and place it in the back of your mouth while eating.
Avoid chewing ice, pencils, or fingernails while wearing braces.

Caring for Invisalign

Wear your aligners for the recommended amount of time, only removing them to eat and clean.
Remove them to eat and drink everything besides room temperature water.
Clean trays with a soft toothbrush and toothpaste daily.

Clean Thoroughly and Consistently

The key to a beautiful smile during and after braces is keeping them clean.
Brush and floss carefully twice a day.
Follow up with your dentist every 6 months for check-ups and professional cleanings.

Talk To Our Team for More Information!

If you have any questions about how to take care of your new smile after your orthodontic treatment or if you’re looking to get a new smile with one of Manhattan’s top orthodontists, contact us to schedule an appointment at one of our locations in TriBeCa or the Upper East Side. Our caring team will help you find a day that works best for you and get you on track to your ultimate smile!