How Should You Deal with Food Getting Stuck While Wearing Braces During Orthodontic Treatment?

Hello, this is Director Park Yeol of Doctor Prime Dental Clinic.

One of the biggest concerns for people who have started orthodontic treatment is the problem of food getting stuck in braces.

After you get braces, food often gets trapped between your teeth and around the braces, and many people feel unsure about how to manage it.

Many people hear that they need to use floss, interdental brushes, and even a Waterpik, and try to do everything perfectly from the beginning.

But to be honest, if you try to do everything from the start, it will take all day. You probably wouldn’t even be able to go to work.

So at first, I recommend thinking of it as something you can finish in 1 to 2 minutes, and start by taking care of just one or two of the most uncomfortable spots.

If you start with just one or two areas, then as you get used to it, you can gradually expand the range.

At the beginning of orthodontic treatment, there are often many cases where floss does not go in easily because the spaces between teeth are not yet open.

However, once orthodontic treatment begins, the teeth move and space gradually appears.

Teeth are rooted in the jawbone, and between the roots and the jawbone there is a tendon-like tissue. As this tissue slowly stretches, the teeth begin to move.

As the teeth move like this, there are days when the spaces between them open quite a lot, and other days when they are almost touching.

During this process, food gets stuck more easily, and this is the main cause of food getting caught around braces.

Another thing to keep in mind is that there is also a small gap between the teeth and the orthodontic wire. Food can easily get trapped in this space as well.

Floss is used to remove food debris from between teeth, especially at the contact points.

An interdental brush is needed to clean the lower parts between teeth, the narrow triangular corners.

A Waterpik is effective for washing away food debris left around braces and between the wire and the braces with a stream of water.

If you try to clean all of these areas with a toothbrush alone, it takes a long time and is tiring, so using a Waterpik makes it much more convenient because it can easily remove larger debris.

For those who find floss difficult to use, I would also recommend a product called Super Floss.

Super Floss has a stiffened end, which makes it easy to insert between the teeth and the braces, and the back part is a soft thread, making it suitable for cleaning between teeth.

It is a little more cumbersome to use than regular floss, but once you learn the method, it can actually be more convenient. It can be a good alternative for people who have difficulty managing food getting stuck around braces.

Let go of the mindset that you have to do everything perfectly from the beginning. Managing food getting stuck around braces is not about doing everything well at once; it is important to start with one or two areas and gradually become accustomed to it.

You may think the biggest discomfort during orthodontic treatment is pain, but in reality, the inconvenience of food getting stuck is much greater.

If you are a patient at Doctor Prime Dental Clinic and find it difficult to manage on your own, or if you are not yet familiar with how to use these tools, please let the clinic know anytime.

We will help you directly and guide you so you can practice. Please do not worry alone; feel free to talk to us comfortably.

Orthodontic treatment is a process that involves not only a beautiful smile but also healthy oral care. Please remember that small habits create big changes. I hope you have a happy day today with a healthy smile. Thank you.

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