5 Common Braces Emergencies and Dentist Recommended Home Treatments

1. Poking wire

If not fixed, poking wires may cause soreness and cut your gums and cheeks.

Here are 2 ways to prevent the wires from poking.

Solution 1: Use a cotton bud or clean tweezers to push the poking wire down.
Solution 2: Place wax on the poking wire to lessen the pain.

• Take a small amount of wax using your fingers.
• Ensure that your braces are dry.
• Then, apply the wax on your bracket such that there is a small mound.
• Replace when necessary.

Don’t worry if you happen to swallow the wax.

2. Loose bracket or band

For loose brackets: 

• If your bracket is still attached to the wire, leave it in place and put wax on it.
• If it has fallen out of the wire, keep the bracket and bring it to the clinic during your repair appointment.

For loose bands:

• If your band is still attached to the wire, place the wire back into place and put wax on it.

3. Loose wire

When there’s a loose wire, use a tweezer to push the wire back into place and put some wax on it to alleviate discomfort.

4. General soreness

After the placement of your braces, you may feel general soreness in your mouth. Your teeth may also be more sensitive to biting pressures for the first 3 – 5 days. 

Your lips, cheeks and tongue may also become irritated for 1 – 2 weeks as they get used to the braces.

To relieve this, you can try the following:

• Rinse your mouth with warm salt water.
• Put wax on your braces to lessen irritation to your lips.
• Take aspirin (or any medication you usually take for a headache) if the pain is severe.

5. Food caught between teeth

This is not an emergency.

To remove food stuck in your teeth or braces, either

• Tie a small knot in the middle of some dental floss and use it to remove the food or
• Use an interproximal brush or toothpick to remove it.