“What is the best way to care for braces?”

Brush after every meal, floss daily with a floss threader, avoid hard and sticky foods, use orthodontic wax for discomfort, and attend regular dental checkups.

Best way to care for braces is to use a water pick or an oral irrigation device to keep the teeth clean. Always clean around the brackets very well with your water pic and then of course your power toothbrush. Using a paste, fortified with fluoride would be helpful if you're not fluoride adverse. It actually helps cut down tooth decay. Hope that helps. Happy Thanksgiving! Doug Thompson Wellness Dentistry Network

Please brush and floss as you would even without braces. Also please use a mouthrinse daily. Submitted by, Dr. Sujit Mohanty, DDS

The best way to care for your new braces is to follow the advice of the orthodontist or dentist who placed them. Avoid certain foods that would put shear stress on the brackets--biting into an apple, eating hard foods, chewing on a bagel, etc. You will wear out a few toothbrushes every few months but continue to brush and floss daily. Purchasing a WaterPik would be a good tool to have to flush your mouth and remove food debris from the metal brackets. Using a fluoride rinse daily before bed would also be beneficial.