Eating with braces
Foods to Avoid
For those patients who have just been treated with braces, there are several lifestyle changes that will have to be made, including having to avoid certain foods.
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We recommend staying away from hard and sticky foods while limiting your intake of sugary foods.
When you first receive braces, you may find it difficult to eat the things you normally do. Adjusting to having wires and metal brackets in your mouth can seem strange at first. However, within a few days or weeks your new oral appliances will feel pretty normal and you may be tempted to indulge in some of your favorite goodies. The problem is that many foods (especially candies) can damage or break your brackets.
Hard foods
The first type of food that you should avoid when you’re wearing braces is any kind of hard food. Hard foods can break or damage the wires and brackets in your braces. Some examples of hard foods that you should avoid are:
- Nuts
- Hard taco shells
- French bread rolls
- Corn on the cob
- Bagels
- Chips
- Jolly Ranchers
- Pizza crust
Sticky foods
It’s also just as important for you to avoid sticky foods. Sticky foods can get caught in your braces and cause the wires and brackets to loosen or even break off. Some of the sticky foods that you should avoid include:
- Gum
- Licorice
- Toffee
- Tootsie Rolls
- Corn on the cob
- Caramel
- Starburst
- Chips
Chewy and crunchy foods
- Chewy foods: Stay away from chewy things like licorice, hard rolls and tough meat. They can damage your oral appliances or get caught in them and lead to tooth decay.
- Crunchy foods: Ice, popcorn, raw carrots, crispy pizza crust and other crunchy treats should be avoided while wearing braces.
Sugary foods (minimize)
Unlike hard foods and sticky foods, you can still eat sugary foods, but it’s important to minimize your intake of them. While you won’t have to worry about these foods breaking or damaging your braces, eating too much of them can cause tooth decay or related problems. Some examples of sugary foods that should be avoided in excess include:
- Cake
- Ice Cream
- Cookies
- Pie
- Candy
- Soda
- Sweet tea
- Gatorade
- Kool-Aid
Foods you can enjoy
The list of dietary choices you should avoid while receiving orthodontic services may seem very restricting, but there are still plenty of things you can eat. There are many delicious things you can enjoy while receiving orthodontics, including:
- Soft fruits
- Dairy products (primarily yogurt and milk)
- Smooth nut spreads
- Cooked vegetables
- Tender meat
- Soft bread
- Tofu
- Cooked grains
The key to keeping your braces and teeth strong and healthy is to consume soft foods that are full of healthy nutrients.
Contact us
If you have any questions or if any of your wires or brackets are loose or broken, please don’t hesitate to contact us. If you’d like to schedule an appointment with us, we encourage you to fill out our online appointment request form or give us a call at one of our four convenient offices.
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