A beautiful smile is worth a little work!

Adjusting to your orthodontic appliance goes beyond the physical changes in your mouth—your oral hygiene will also require some adjustment. Properly taking care of your appliance throughout orthodontic treatment is vital for a healthy smile. The instructions below share more about taking care of braces, Invisalign® clear aligners, or your retainer. If you don’t find the answer you’re looking for, please check in with us. Our experienced orthodontic care specialists are here to make sure you get the best results from your treatment.

Salt for soreness

At first, your teeth and mouth may feel a bit tender or sore. This is temporary – and perfectly normal. You can help relieve oral tissue discomfort by dissolving one teaspoon of salt in eight ounces of lukewarm water. Swish and gargle. Swish and gargle. Swish and gargle. This will help promote the healing of your mouth! But don’t swallow the salt water (trust us, you won’t like it). If the pain still doesn’t go away after rinsing, you can take a pain reliever. When you’re new to braces, your lips, cheeks, and tongue may also become irritated. This will quickly pass, but if needed, we can give you some wax to temporarily put over your braces and give your mouth a break.

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