No one told me that lettuce stuck in my teeth would be my biggest complaint!

Face it, sooner or later you'll eat out and have food stuck in your braces. Sometimes, a discreet quick swish or two of water dislodges it. Most times, it does not, and you must excuse yourself and head for the restroom with your dental kit, or risk grossing everyone out. (Hint: don't smile widely with food in your braces and (probably) nobody will notice it).

Brushing your teeth in public restrooms (or even at the office) can be embarrassing and even downright gross (dirty sinks, bad smells, etc). Personally, if I must brush away from home, I try to pick more "private" public restrooms (the ones with one stall and one sink, and a door that locks). The cleaner the restaurant, chances are, the cleaner the restroom. Or at least you hope so. If the sink is wet or dirty, lay down a few pieces of clean paper to give yourself a clean surface.

Inevitably, you will need to brush in a completely public restroom with a bunch of sinks, where others come and go. Just go about your business quickly and nonchalantly. Lots of people have braces, lots of people have kids with braces, and lots of people had braces when they were kids. Believe me, people are basically sympathetic. Be as discreet as possible and nobody will care.

How often will you need to brush in a public restroom? If you eat out regularly, the answer is: a lot. If you know that you're going back to the office (or back home) after eating, you could wait until then. But letting food stay stuck in your braces for hours isn't a good idea, and it certainly isn't good for your breath, either. 

Remember that clean teeth are happy teeth! Just keep repeating to yourself, "It's No Big Deal!!"

UPDATE:

The best news of my life is hearing that I am more then half way there. It super exciting to know that my journey is on the end stretch.  My days of carrying around a brushing kit are soon to be over.

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