Now that you have your braces, it is important for you to understand how to properly care for them. We have provided some information below to help you ensure the overall success of your orthodontic treatment.
Eating with Braces
For most situations, common sense will tell you what foods to avoid with braces. Hard and sticky foods and foods high in sugar must be avoided. Nail biting, pencil and pen chewing, and chewing on foreign objects should also be avoided.
Sticky Foods
Braces are pretty sturdy, but sticky foods can get caught between brackets and wires, causing damage to the wires and loosening your brackets. It is best to avoid most, if not all, sticky foods.
Sticky Foods to Avoid:
- Gum (sugar-free or regular)
- Licorice
- Sugar Daddies
- Toffee
- Tootsie Rolls
- Caramels
- Starburst
Hard Foods
People may tell you that you that you can eat hard foods with braces if you are careful and eat only in the back of your mouth. It is best to avoid them all together. Hard foods can easily break or damage wires and brackets.
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
- Jerky
Sugary Food
Minimize sugary foods, as they cause tooth decay and related problems. Tooth decay is bad when you don't have braces. When you do have braces, it can cause major issues. If you do eat sugary foods, make sure to either brush your teeth or use mouthwash afterwards to get rid of the sugar.
Sugary Foods to Avoid:
- Cake
- Ice Cream
- Cookies
- Pie
- Candy
Foods to Limit to Once a Day
You should limit some foods and drinks when you have braces. The main thing to limit is sugary drinks. As with sugary foods, drinks with a high sugar content can cause tooth decay and related problems.
Have Only Once a Day:
- Soda
- Sweetened tea
- Gatorade
- Kool-Aid
- Drinks with sugar
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.
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