Objective: To explore the application effect of "aesthetic incentive-based" oral care based on the theory of behavior change in children with early orthodontic treatment. Methods: A total of 120 children with early orthodontic treatment admitted to our hospital from June 2024 to June 2025 were selected and randomly divided into a control group and an experimental group. The control group received routine nursing, while the experimental group received "aesthetic incentive-based" oral care based on the theory of behavior change. The effects of different nursing methods on early orthodontic treatment in children were compared. Results: After intervention, the experimental group was superior to the control group in terms of dental alignment aesthetics, smile satisfaction score, improvement degree of facial soft tissue aesthetics, GI (Gingival Index) and PLI (Plaque Index) values, and incidence of adverse events, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The "aesthetic incentive-based" oral care based on the theory of behavior change has a significant application effect in children with early orthodontic treatment. It can effectively improve visual aesthetic effects, enhance smile satisfaction, optimize key aesthetic parameters, reduce periodontal indices and the incidence of adverse events, and is worthy of promotion.