“What foods should I avoid with braces?”
I know the obvious ones, like gum and pretzels, but should I avoid any other foods with my braces?
7 Answers
During the time of orthodontic treatment, you should try to avoid sticky food and hard textured food to prevent brackets from breaking or separating. Your home care is very important regardless of the type of food you are eating.
Any sticky food
Avoid disposable. You should have a travel toothbrush for between meals. Even without toothpaste it serves as an effective deterrent to plaque laying on surfaces of your braces and teeth. Avoid hard crunchy foods chewing gum mostly because of the repetitive motion of chewing without paying attention to damage being done to the appliance, especially in the beginning of treatment when the teeth are most out of position and therefore vulnerable to trauma from chewing.
Avoid nuts and firm foods like steak. You don't want the brackets popping off and requiring additional trips to the dentist.
Avoid highly acidic foods, heavy carbs, and sticky foods and candy. Especially avoid gummy candy like gummy bears, taffy, etc., and avoid highly acidic candy such as Nerds, Warheads, Sweet Tarts. Dark chocolate is OK. It is best if you buy an ultrasonic toothbrush when you have braces, such as a Phillips Elite ultrasonic toothbrush (there are other brands too). These are available at Target, Walmart, Sam's Club, and maybe even Costco.
In addition to hard foods and snacks like pretzels and chips, sticky, chewy, gummy foods (caramel, gum, licorice, jelly beans) will damage or break your braces.
Anything that is sticky or hard might compromise the band or bracket attachment. That includes uncooked carrots, nuts, hard candy, Laffy Taffy candy, hard crust of the bread, etc.
