Your braces are now in place. The first 3–5 days are an adjustment period — your teeth may feel sore as they begin moving, and the brackets take some getting used to. It all settles quickly.
Quick reference
- Soreness is normal for 3–5 days after each appointment. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories help most patients.
- Eat soft foods for the first few days: pasta, eggs, yogurt, soup, smoothies.
- Avoid anything hard, sticky, or chewy — popcorn, hard candy, gum, caramel, ice, nuts. These break brackets.
- Cut crunchy foods (apples, carrots, bagels) into small pieces and chew with your back teeth.
- Brush after every meal. Plaque builds up around brackets faster than around natural teeth — keep them clean to avoid white spots when the braces come off.
- Floss daily using a floss threader, Super Floss, or a water flosser.
- If a wire pokes you, cover it with the orthodontic wax we provided and call us so we can trim it.
Call us if you have concerns. Call us at 519-944-5757 if a bracket comes off, a wire is poking and wax isn't helping, or you have severe pain that doesn't respond to over-the-counter pain relief.
