3 Tips For Preventing Food From Getting Stuck In Your Braces

If you have braces, you might have a lot more concerns about dental care than you ever have before. For one thing, you might be worried about food getting stuck in your braces, which can be embarrassing, can cause bad breath, and can lead to an infection. Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to help prevent this.

1. Avoid Certain Foods

As you probably already know, it's important to avoid certain foods when you have braces, such as sticky candy or chewing gum. Certain "stringy" foods, such as spinach, can also easily find their way into your braces. Along with abiding by any recommendations that your orthodontist might have given you about foods that you should and shouldn't eat, it's also smart to take note of any foods that you have trouble with when eating. If you find that certain foods always tend to cause you problems by getting stuck in your braces, you may want to avoid eating these foods any more than necessary until you get your braces removed.

2. Take a Travel Toothbrush and Toothpaste With You

Brushing your teeth after meals can help get rid of any food debris that might have gotten stuck in your braces, but this can be difficult to do when you spend part of the day away from home, such as at school or work. Bringing along a toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste and sneaking off to the restroom to quickly brush your teeth after eating can help you get rid of any embarrassing food that might be stuck and can help with overall oral health. It only takes a few minutes, so it can be worth the added aggravation to help avoid dealing with food debris.

3. Use a Water Flosser Daily

Obviously, flossing your teeth is pretty difficult when you have braces. However, you need to floss more now than ever when you add in the possibility of getting food stuck in your braces. Luckily, using a water flosser is a wonderful, effective, and easy way to get rid of any food debris that may have gotten caught in your braces or in-between your teeth, so if you have not invested in one of these devices, it can be a smart idea to do so.

If you're worried about this issue and have braces, following these tips can be helpful. If you have additional concerns, you can also talk to an orthodontist, like John C. Matunas D.D.S., PA, to get professional advice.