What happens if I leave plaque around the brackets?

If you do not look after your braces, plaque will form on the teeth where the brackets sit and start to produce acid. The acid leeches the minerals out of your teeth and create white areas on your enamel where the plaque was sitting. Imagine finishing your orthodontic treatment with beautiful straight teeth, only to find white squares on your teeth! These are not pretty and often irreversible, so make sure to spend time cleaning those brackets!