The first step to successful hygiene and care for your new smile with braces is to watch what you eat. Hard, sticky foods can damage your braces or get caught in hard to reach places. Slicing vegetables and fruits before eating and cutting down on sugary foods will have a large impact on overall dental health with braces.

It is crucial to keep your teeth and appliances clean. Brackets, wires, and bands can hide food in hard to reach places where plague and calcium deposits can build up. Brush after every meal and snack and always use a soft toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste.

Most potential problems can be avoided by keeping a good hygiene routine so the results will be healthy gums and beautiful teeth.

In the photos to the right, you can see the difference that keeping up a good oral hygiene routine will make when your treatment is complete.