Eating With Your New Braces

Photo provided by oralb.com

Now that you have your braces, what foods can you still enjoy? While some foods are off limits, don't worry, you'll be eating popcorn and snacking on potato chips again in no time! However, before you can start enjoying some of the treats you love, you will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances. 

For most situations, common sense will tell you what to avoid. Hard foods, sticky foods and foods high in sugar must be avoided. Hard foods can break or damage wires and brackets. Sticky foods can get caught between brackets and wires. Minimize sugary foods; they cause tooth decay and related problems. Nail biting, pencil and pen chewing and chewing on foreign objects should be avoided. 

Examples of Sticky Foods to Avoid: 

• Gum (sugar-free or regular)  
• Licorice 
• Sugar Daddies  
• Toffee 
• Tootsie Rolls  
• Caramels  
• Starburst  

Examples of Hard Foods to Avoid:  

• Ice  
• Nuts  
• Hard taco shells  
• French bread crust/rolls  
• Corn on the cob  
• Apples and carrots (unless cut into small pieces)  
• Bagels Chips  
• Jolly Ranchers  
• Pizza crust  
• Uncooked carrots (unless cut)  

Minimize Sugary Foods like:  

• Cake  
• Ice Cream  
• Cookies  
• Pie  
• Candy   

It's important to regularly check your braces for bent or loose wires and brackets. In the event of a loose/broken wire or bracket, call our office immediately to arrange an appointment for repair.