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 (Regular)
Good 'n Plenty
Licorice
Sour Patch Kids
Sugar Daddies
M&M's with nuts
Toffee
Bubble Gum
Tootsie Rolls
Skittles
Snickers
Taffy
Now 'n' Later
Gummi Bears
Bit O' Honey
Hot Tamales
Starburst
Caramels
Examples of Hard Foods to Avoid:
Ice
Nuts
Hard taco shells
Pizza crust
Jolly Ranchers
French bread crust/rolls
Corn on the cob (or cut it off the cob)
Apples and carrots (unless cut into small pieces)
Bagels (cutinto small pieces)
Chips/Tortilla and Corn Chips
Uncooked carrots (unless cut)
Minimize Sugary and Acidic Foods like:
Lemons
Ice Cream
Soft Drinks
Candy
Cake
Cookies
Pie
Sour candies (Sweet Tarts, Spree, Warheads)
Only Once a Day:
Kool-Aid
Sweetened tea
Gatorade
Drinks with sugar
Soda (diet and regular due to acids and sugar)
Sugarless gum (one piece at a time)
Safe Treats to Enjoy on Special Occasions:
3 Musketeers
Mounds
Crunch
Chocolate
Kit Kat
Reese's
Raisinettes
Cake
Junior Mints
Kisses/Hugs
Cookies
Brownies with no nuts
M&M's Plain
Baked Potato Chips
Sugarless Gum (one piece at a time)
While you havebraces, you need to think about the foods you eat. After you have had your braces for awhile, this will become easier. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Can I eat this?
- How should I eat this? (i.e., cut it up, take small bites, etc)
It’s important to regularly check your braces for bent or loose wires and brackets. Broken orthodontic appliances can increase the time that you are in braces. In the event of a loose/broken wire or bracket, call our office immediately to arrange an appointment for repair.