Tooth Decay and Braces
It's ironic that while correcting your teeth with braces ultimately helps prevent cavities, there's an increased chance of decay while wearing braces.
Depending on the type of braces you wear, braces can catch bits of food and sugar from certain drinks. Once trapped, these food/drink particles cause bacteria to form. The bacteria lead to plaque deposits. And plaque build-up leads to tooth decay (aka cavities) as well as gum disease.
As you can imagine, you're more likely to experience these issues with non-removable braces no matter what materials they're made of – metal, ceramic or plastic. However, be aware that removable clear aligner trays and headgear braces can lead to problems without proper care.
Toothaches, chewing pain and sensitivity to sweet, cold or hot foods and drinks are all signs you might have one or more cavities. Left untreated, tooth decay might infect a tooth's pulp. Cavities can soon progress into painful abscesses, infections or even jaw problems. That's why it's important to spend the extra effort keeping your braces clean to prevent tooth decay.