Sending a child off to college involves endless lists. Bedding for the dorm room, school supplies, laundry detergent, and snacks for late-night study sessions. If your college student is in the middle of orthodontic treatment, there’s another category to add to that packing list: orthodontic care supplies.
Students from Grandville, Holland, and West Ottawa heading off to schools across Michigan and beyond need to be prepared to manage their orthodontic care independently. Dr. Porto works with plenty of families at our Grandville and Holland locations, where older teens are finishing treatment while starting college. The key is setting them up for success before they leave home.
The Essential Orthodontic Care Kit
Your college student needs a dedicated kit with everything required for daily orthodontic care. A small zippered pouch or plastic container works well because it keeps supplies organized and visible. When everything lives in one place, it’s easier to remember to use it and harder to lose track of important items.
What goes in the kit:
- Travel toothbrush and toothpaste (plus a backup toothbrush)
- Floss threaders or orthodontic floss
- Interdental brushes for cleaning around brackets
- Orthodontic wax (multiple packs)
- Small mirror for checking brackets
- Rubber bands (if applicable, with extras)
- Contact information for our office
- Emergency instructions sheet
- Pain reliever like ibuprofen
Keep this kit in their dorm room where it’s easily accessible. A second, smaller kit for their backpack is smart for students who have long days on campus and need to brush after lunch or before afternoon classes.
Water Flossers Are Game-Changers
Dorm bathrooms aren’t always conducive to traditional flossing. Shared sinks, limited counter space, and roommates waiting to use the bathroom make lengthy flossing sessions impractical. A water flosser solves these problems while actually doing a better job of cleaning around brackets and wires.
Water flossers are faster than traditional flossing with threaders, which means your student is more likely to actually do it. They’re also more effective at removing food particles stuck in hard-to-reach places. Yes, they’re an additional expense, but they’re worth it. Think of it as part of the dorm setup cost alongside the mini-fridge and desk lamp.
Most water flossers come in compact sizes perfect for dorm living. Some even have travel cases. Make sure your student understands how to use it properly and emphasizes that it supplements brushing, not replaces it.
Handling the Dining Hall with Braces
College dining halls present unique challenges for students with braces. Unlimited food access sounds great until you’re standing in front of a salad bar full of raw vegetables you can’t eat or a dessert station loaded with sticky caramel brownies that will destroy your brackets.
Dining hall strategies that work:
Talk to your student before they leave about making smart choices. Steamed vegetables are fine; raw carrots and celery aren’t. Pasta, rice bowls, and soup are safe options. Pizza is usually okay if the crust isn’t too hard and they’re careful. Soft serve ice cream works; hard ice cream bars don’t. Eggs, yogurt, and oatmeal at breakfast are all braces-friendly.
The bigger challenge is remembering to brush after meals when your student is rushing from lunch to their next class or meeting friends after dinner. This is where having that backup kit in their backpack becomes essential. Even if they can’t do a thorough brush and floss, swishing with water and using an interdental brush to clear obvious food particles makes a difference.
What About Adjustment Appointments?
Before your student leaves for school, schedule their fall semester appointments if possible. If they’re attending college within driving distance, they can come back to our Grandville or Holland office for adjustments during fall break or long weekends. This works well for students at schools in Michigan or nearby states.
For students attending schools farther away, talk to Dr. Porto about options. Sometimes we can extend the time between appointments slightly to align with breaks. In some cases, students may need to see an orthodontist near their college for emergency visits, though regular adjustments should ideally happen with their primary orthodontist to maintain treatment consistency.
Keep our office contact information saved in your student’s phone and make sure they know to call if something feels wrong. A broken bracket or poking wire might seem minor, but ignoring it can set treatment back by weeks or months.
The Independence Factor
College is often the first time young adults are completely responsible for their own health care without daily parental reminders. Some students handle this transition seamlessly. Others struggle with consistency when nobody’s checking whether they brushed their teeth or wore their rubber bands.
Before your student leaves, have an honest conversation about the importance of staying on track with treatment. They’re investing time and money (likely your money) into getting a great smile. Cutting corners on care now means treatment takes longer and costs more. Most college students understand this logic, but they need to hear it directly.
Set up a system for accountability if your student wants it. Some families do weekly video check-ins where the student shows their parent their teeth and confirms they’re staying on top of care. Others use shared calendar reminders for rubber band changes or adjustment appointments. Find what works for your family dynamic.
Emergency Planning
Despite best efforts, orthodontic emergencies happen. A bracket pops off during a midnight pizza run. A wire comes loose during exam week. Your student wakes up with their mouth full of canker sores and no orthodontic wax.
Make sure your student knows what constitutes a real emergency versus something that can wait for their next scheduled appointment. A broken bracket that’s still attached to the wire can usually wait. A wire that’s come completely loose and is poking their cheek needs attention sooner. A knocked-out tooth requires immediate emergency dental care.
Research orthodontists near your student’s college before they leave home. Save contact information for at least one office that’s within a reasonable distance of campus. Most orthodontists will see emergency patients even if they’re not the primary treating doctor, though there may be fees involved.
The Social Aspect
Many college freshmen worry about starting school with braces. They’re meeting new people, going to parties, potentially dating, and feeling self-conscious about metal in their mouth. Remind your student that plenty of college students have braces. Adult orthodontic treatment is increasingly common, and chances are, several people in their freshman dorm are also in treatment.
If your student is really self-conscious, this might be a good time to consider switching to clear aligners if they’re a candidate for it. Talk to Dr. Porto about whether this makes sense given where they are in treatment. Sometimes switching isn’t practical or medically advisable, but in other cases it’s a viable option that reduces social anxiety.
Looking Ahead to Winter Break
The transition to college is temporary. By winter break, your student will be back home for several weeks, where you can assess how well they’ve been managing their orthodontic care. This is a good opportunity to review their routine, restock supplies, and have an appointment with Dr. Porto to check on treatment progress.
Use winter break as a reset if fall semester didn’t go perfectly. Maybe they struggled with consistency or had trouble figuring out dining hall options. That’s normal and fixable. The important thing is getting back on track rather than letting small problems become bigger issues.
The Bottom Line
Sending a college student off with braces requires extra planning, but it’s entirely manageable. With the right supplies, clear communication, and reasonable expectations, your student can continue their orthodontic treatment successfully while adjusting to college life.
Dr. Porto has guided many families through this transition. We understand that college students have a lot on their plates, and orthodontic care is just one piece of a busy life. We’re here to support both parents and students in making treatment work despite the distance and new independence.
Have a college student heading off to school with braces? Contact Enjoy Orthodontics in Grandville or Holland before they leave. We’ll make sure they have everything they need to succeed.
