Nobody feels like doing much when they’re under the weather. But if you’re wearing braces or clear aligners, your smile still needs attention, even when you’d rather stay in bed with a box of tissues. The good news? A few simple adjustments to your routine can keep your treatment on track while you recover.
Getting sick doesn’t have to mean setbacks for your orthodontic treatment. From a cold to the flu to a stomach bug, knowing how to care for your braces or aligners during illness makes all the difference. Dr. Sarpo, DDS, and Dr. Jenny Sun, DDS, at Icon Orthodontics in Surprise, AZ, want you to feel confident handling cold season with braces, stuffy nose and all.
Why Being Sick With Braces or Aligners Requires Extra Attention
Being sick affects your braces or aligners because illness causes dehydration, reduced saliva flow, and increased bacteria in your mouth. Medications often introduce extra sugar to your teeth, and mouth breathing dries out oral tissues. All of these factors raise your risk for plaque buildup, enamel damage, and decay around brackets or under aligners. That’s why the team at Icon Orthodontics in Surprise reminds guests to stay vigilant about oral care during illness.
Saliva plays a key role in washing away bacteria and neutralizing acids. When production drops, your risk for plaque buildup and enamel damage goes up. For guests wearing braces, brackets and wires end up sitting in a more bacteria-friendly environment than usual.
For those with clear aligners, trapping sugary medication residue between the aligner and your teeth creates ideal conditions for decay. Stomach acid from vomiting can erode enamel and weaken the adhesive bonding your brackets. All of this means a little extra care during illness goes a long way toward protecting your smile and keeping treatment moving forward. The Icon Orthodontics team recommends staying on top of your care routine, even a simplified version, until you’re back on your feet.
How to Care for Your Braces or Aligners When You Feel Sick
To care for braces or aligners when sick, keep brushing gently, rinse with water after vomiting (wait 30 minutes to brush), remove aligners before liquid medications, and clean aligners more frequently. Here’s how to put that into practice.
Keep brushing, even when you’re exhausted. Your teeth don’t take sick days. Use a soft-bristle brush and be gentle if your gums feel sensitive. If standing at the sink feels like too much, sit down while you brush. The key is consistency, not perfection.
What should you do if you’ve been vomiting? Stomach acid is harsh on tooth enamel and can damage the adhesive holding your brackets in place. Don’t brush right away, though, because that can spread the acid around. Instead, rinse thoroughly with plain water or a fluoride mouthwash first. Wait about 30 minutes before brushing to let your enamel recover.
If you’re taking liquid medications, pop your clear aligners out first. Sugary cough syrups and liquid cold medicines can get trapped between your aligners and teeth, creating the perfect setup for cavities. Remove your aligners, take your medicine, rinse your mouth, and then put them back in.
Here’s another thing to watch out for: sports drinks and fruit juices might sound appealing when you’re sick, but they’re loaded with sugar and acid. Plain water or sugar-free electrolyte drinks keep you hydrated without putting your teeth at risk.
Give your aligners extra attention during illness, too. Bacteria levels in your mouth increase when you’re fighting something off, so rinse your aligners every time you remove them and clean them properly before putting them back in. Guests at our Surprise, AZ, location often ask about this, and Dr. Sarpo and Dr. Sun always stress the same point: a quick rinse goes a long way.
Benefits of Staying on Track With Orthodontic Care During Illness
Maintaining your orthodontic care routine during illness prevents white spots, keeps your treatment timeline intact, and reduces cavity risk from cold remedies. It’s tempting to let things slide when you’re not feeling well, but consistency pays off in several real ways.
Consistent Care Prevents White Spots and Cavities
Plaque buildup around brackets can cause permanent white spots on your teeth, a condition called decalcification. These marks show up once your braces come off and can’t be easily removed. Keeping up with brushing, even a simplified version, protects your enamel.
Many cough drops, syrups, and throat lozenges contain surprising amounts of sugar. According to the American Dental Association, frequent exposure to sugar, especially when it sits on teeth for extended periods, significantly increases cavity risk. Being mindful of what you put in your mouth during illness protects your teeth from damage that could require extra dental work later.
Staying on Track Protects Your Timeline and Aligner Fit
Skipping aligner wear or neglecting your oral hygiene can slow down tooth movement. Staying consistent means you’ll finish treatment when expected, not weeks or months later. Clear aligners work best when worn consistently, and taking extended breaks during illness can affect how well they fit. That could mean replacement trays or extended treatment time, neither of which anyone wants. Dr. Sarpo and Dr. Sun see this with guests at Icon Orthodontics more often than you’d think, especially during cold and flu season in Surprise.
Sick-Day Food and Drink Choices: What Works vs. What to Avoid
When you’re sick and wearing braces, choosing the right foods becomes even more important. Stick to soft, low-sugar, low-acid foods like broth, yogurt, and scrambled eggs while avoiding hard cough drops, sugary drinks, and acidic juices. Your throat might be sore, your appetite might be low, and comfort foods sound appealing. Here’s a comparison of braces-friendly sick-day foods versus foods to avoid.
| Good Choices | What to Limit or Avoid |
|---|---|
| Broth-based soups | Orange juice (acidic) |
| Mashed potatoes | Regular sports drinks (sugary) |
| Yogurt | Sticky cough drops |
| Scrambled eggs | Hard throat lozenges |
| Smoothies | Chewy gummy vitamins |
| Herbal tea | Sugary cough syrups |
| Sugar-free electrolyte drinks | Candy-style vitamin C tablets |
| Carbonated sodas |
Warm chicken broth, creamy mashed potatoes, and protein-rich scrambled eggs are gentle on sore throats and safe for braces. Yogurt provides probiotics that may help you recover faster while being completely braces-friendly. Dr. Sarpo and Dr. Sun often recommend these braces-friendly options to guests at Icon Orthodontics.
What about cough drops? Many of them are basically hard candy with menthol added. They can crack brackets if you bite down and coat your teeth in sugar if you let them dissolve slowly. Look for sugar-free varieties and let them dissolve completely rather than chewing.
Sugar-free versions of most cough syrups and cold medications exist, and they work just as well without bathing your teeth in sugar. Check labels and choose wisely, especially if you’ll be taking multiple doses throughout the day.
Smoothies can be your best friend when you’re sick. Blend up fruits, yogurt, and protein powder for a nutritious meal that goes down easy. Just skip the straw if you have braces, and rinse your mouth afterward since fruit contains natural sugars.
Avoiding Extra Costs: Preventing Sick-Day Orthodontic Emergencies
Prevent orthodontic emergencies when sick by avoiding hard cough drops, rinsing after vomiting, and always storing aligners in their case. A little prevention during sick days can save you time, money, and hassle down the road. The team at Icon Orthodontics can help if any of these issues come up during your illness, but avoiding them in the first place is always better.
Always keep your aligner case nearby when you’re under the weather. When you’re sick and foggy-headed, it’s easy to wrap your aligners in a tissue and accidentally throw them away. Replacement aligners take time to order and may come with fees. Be careful about cleaning methods, too: leaving aligners in hot water or near heat sources can warp the plastic. Damaged aligners won’t move your teeth correctly and will need replacement.
Repeated vomiting from stomach bugs exposes your teeth to strong acids that, over time, can wear down enamel and require restorative dental work after your orthodontic treatment ends. Rinsing immediately and waiting before brushing minimizes damage. And watch out for hard lozenges. One crunch on a hard cough drop can pop a bracket right off your tooth. Emergency repair visits mean extra time in the chair and potentially extra costs, so stick to sugar-free varieties that dissolve without chewing. If something does break, give your Icon Orthodontics location in Surprise a call right away.
When to Call Your Orthodontist During an Illness
Most sick days don’t require a call to your orthodontist. But certain situations are worth reaching out about.
A bracket or wire breaks while you’re sick. If a hard cough drop or other mishap damages your braces, give your Icon Orthodontics location a call. The team can advise whether you need an immediate appointment or if it can wait until you’re feeling better.
Prolonged vomiting makes aligner wear uncomfortable. If you’re dealing with a stomach bug that lasts more than a day or two, Dr. Sarpo and Dr. Sun can offer suggestions for managing aligner wear during recovery.
You have a contagious illness before a scheduled appointment. Don’t come in sick. Call to reschedule your adjustment appointment. The Icon Orthodontics team would rather see you healthy at a later date than risk spreading illness to other families and guests.
Extended illness affects your treatment routine. If you’ve been sick for a week or more and your oral care has slipped, reach out. Your orthodontist can assess whether any adjustments to your treatment plan are needed and help you get back on track without stress. Our Surprise, AZ, team is always happy to talk things through over the phone first.
Frequently Asked Questions About Orthodontics When You’re Sick
Can I take cough medicine with braces?
Yes, you can take cough medicine while wearing braces. Choose sugar-free formulas when possible, and always rinse your mouth with water after taking liquid medications. If only regular cough syrup is available, rinse thoroughly and brush about 30 minutes later.
Should I wear my clear aligners when I have the flu?
Yes, continue wearing your clear aligners as much as possible during the flu to stay on schedule. Remove them before vomiting, rinse your mouth, and clean your aligners before reinserting. If extended illness prevents consistent wear, reach out to Dr. Sarpo and Dr. Sun at Icon Orthodontics for guidance.
Are cough drops bad for braces?
Certain cough drops can damage braces. Hard and sticky varieties can break brackets and wires, and they typically contain high amounts of sugar that coat your teeth. Choose sugar-free cough drops and let them dissolve completely rather than biting or chewing. If a cough drop does crack a bracket, contact Icon Orthodontics right away so Dr. Sarpo or Dr. Sun can advise on next steps.
What should I eat with braces when I have a sore throat?
Warm broth, smoothies, yogurt, mashed potatoes, and scrambled eggs are all great choices. These soft foods soothe sore throats while being completely safe for braces. Avoid hot temperatures that might irritate your throat further, and skip anything crunchy or hard. Popsicles work too, as long as you choose sugar-free options and rinse afterward.
Should I skip brushing if I feel too sick?
No. At minimum, rinse your mouth with water or fluoride mouthwash. If you can manage even a gentle brush, do it. Plaque doesn’t stop forming just because you’re under the weather, and keeping up some level of oral hygiene prevents problems from developing. If you’ve fallen behind, reach out to Icon Orthodontics in Surprise for tips on getting your routine back on track.
Being sick is never fun, but it doesn’t have to derail your smile. With a few simple precautions, you can recover from illness while keeping your orthodontic treatment right on track.
Have questions about managing your braces or aligners during an illness? The Icon Orthodontics family is always just a phone call away. Dr. Sarpo and Dr. Sun understand that life happens, sick days included. Give us a call or schedule a free consult anytime you need guidance. We’re making orthodontics easy for families in Surprise, AZ, even on your worst sick days.