{"id":1972,"date":"2026-05-21T13:47:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T13:47:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/?p=1972"},"modified":"2026-06-05T13:49:26","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T13:49:26","slug":"swollen-gums-with-braces","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s the Best Way to Treat Swollen Gums if You Have Braces?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-300x200.png\" alt=\"a dental assistant showing a patient their braces in a mirror\" class=\"wp-image-1973\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-768x513.png 768w, https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image.png 974w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>While the outcome of braces in Jacksonville may be well worth any changes you need to make to accommodate your braces, you may experience some bumps along the way. One common impact of this orthodontic treatment is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/orthodontic-emergencies.html\">swollen gums<\/a>. Sometimes, this effect can be normal, signifying that your teeth are shifting, and other times, it could be the result of an underlying dental health concern. Read on to learn more about what swollen gums mean if you have braces and how to address them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Causes Swollen Gums with Braces?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Swollen gums with braces can occur for a number of reasons, ranging from oral hygiene concerns to the natural effects of shifting teeth. If you notice read, inflamed, or sore gums while you\u2019re undergoing treatment, it could be due to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Moving Teeth: <\/strong>When your teeth begin to shift, it\u2019s not just the visible portion that moves\u2014it\u2019s also the root structure underneath the gumline. As the entire tooth begins shifting, you may notice that your gums feel sore and look swollen. This is especially the case after your routine check-in with your orthodontist, when they tighten the wires to help your teeth continue shifting.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gum Disease:<\/strong> Caused by plaque and tartar accumulation along the gumline, gum disease is an infection of the soft oral tissue. Braces can make it harder to thoroughly clean your teeth, putting some patients at a higher risk of developing the condition during treatment. One of the first signs of the early stages, called gingivitis, is inflammation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Home Remedies for Swollen Gums with Braces<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If your gums are tender after your routine orthodontic appointment, you may be able to help curb your discomfort at home:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Rinse several times throughout the day with salt water<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid eating foods that are excessively sticky, hard, or chewy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thoroughly floss between your teeth, brackets, and wires using traditional floss, a water flosser, or floss threader<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When to Seek Professional Care<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re concerned about swollen gums and you have braces, you should speak with your orthodontist at your routine visits. It\u2019s important to also continue seeing your dentist for checkups and cleanings every six months throughout your treatment. They will be able to tell if your symptoms are related to gingivitis, or gum disease. If more thorough treatment is required, like a deep cleaning, they will also provide you with those services to prevent the disease from progressing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maintaining a healthy smile during your treatment is just as important as the treatment results themselves. So long as you stay diligent about visiting your dentist and orthodontist regularly for cleanings and checkups, as well as maintain a good at-home hygiene routine, it\u2019s likely that your swollen gums are &nbsp;a sign that your braces are doing their job!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About the Author<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Holland is a dual-trained expert, completing specialty training in both orthodontics and prosthodontics. He offers different options to straighten smiles, including traditional metal braces and clear aligners, as well as more advanced services like Phase 1 orthodontic&nbsp; treatment for kids and orthognathic surgery. To learn more about braces or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Holland, visit Ortega Orthodontics\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/contact-us.html\">website<\/a> or call 904-388-4600.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While the outcome of braces in Jacksonville may be well worth any changes you need to make to accommodate your braces, you may experience some bumps along the way. One common impact of this orthodontic treatment is swollen gums. Sometimes, this effect can be normal, signifying that your teeth are shifting, and other times, it [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Swollen Gums with Braces Jacksonville | Ortega Orthodontics<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Are you experiencing swollen gums with braces? Here are some tips to help ease your discomfort from an orthodontist in Jacksonville.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Swollen Gums with Braces Jacksonville | Ortega Orthodontics\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Are you experiencing swollen gums with braces? Here are some tips to help ease your discomfort from an orthodontist in Jacksonville.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Ortega Orthodontics Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-21T13:47:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-05T13:49:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-300x200.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"ortegaortho\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"ortegaortho\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/\",\"name\":\"Swollen Gums with Braces Jacksonville | Ortega Orthodontics\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-300x200.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-21T13:47:08+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-05T13:49:26+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/137a983f3857f69bebfdbd0df0b7478f\"},\"description\":\"Are you experiencing swollen gums with braces? Here are some tips to help ease your discomfort from an orthodontist in Jacksonville.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image.png\",\"width\":974,\"height\":650},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"What\u2019s the Best Way to Treat Swollen Gums if You Have Braces?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Ortega Orthodontics Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/137a983f3857f69bebfdbd0df0b7478f\",\"name\":\"ortegaortho\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a491adeb27599d989c3da4aaebb7810c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a491adeb27599d989c3da4aaebb7810c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"ortegaortho\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/author\/ortegaortho\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Swollen Gums with Braces Jacksonville | Ortega Orthodontics","description":"Are you experiencing swollen gums with braces? Here are some tips to help ease your discomfort from an orthodontist in Jacksonville.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Swollen Gums with Braces Jacksonville | Ortega Orthodontics","og_description":"Are you experiencing swollen gums with braces? Here are some tips to help ease your discomfort from an orthodontist in Jacksonville.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/","og_site_name":"Ortega Orthodontics Blog","article_published_time":"2026-05-21T13:47:08+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-05T13:49:26+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-300x200.png"}],"author":"ortegaortho","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"ortegaortho","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/","url":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/","name":"Swollen Gums with Braces Jacksonville | Ortega Orthodontics","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-300x200.png","datePublished":"2026-05-21T13:47:08+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-05T13:49:26+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/137a983f3857f69bebfdbd0df0b7478f"},"description":"Are you experiencing swollen gums with braces? Here are some tips to help ease your discomfort from an orthodontist in Jacksonville.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image.png","width":974,"height":650},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/2026\/05\/21\/swollen-gums-with-braces\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"What\u2019s the Best Way to Treat Swollen Gums if You Have Braces?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/","name":"Ortega Orthodontics Blog","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/137a983f3857f69bebfdbd0df0b7478f","name":"ortegaortho","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a491adeb27599d989c3da4aaebb7810c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a491adeb27599d989c3da4aaebb7810c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"ortegaortho"},"url":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/author\/ortegaortho\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1972"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1972"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1972\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1974,"href":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1972\/revisions\/1974"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ortegaortho.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}