Which foods should you avoid while wearing braces?
Breaking orthodontic appliances are almost always caused by patients eating foods they shouldn’t be eating. Which is why at Straight Orthodontics we encourage all our patients to avoid eating hard foods, sugary foods and sticky foods.
Hard foods can easily break or damage teeth, brackets and wires; whilst sticky foods can easily get trapped in between teeth, wires and brackets.
Sugary foods should be avoided as they cause tooth decay and increase other issues. Did you know that the bacteria found within plaque is responsible for this? The bacteria feeds off the sugars you consume to produce acids, which cause decay to your teeth’s enamel and increase chances of cavities and gum issues; this will impact your orthodontic treatment and appliance.
Unfortunately, all the foods listed below, and similar foods should be avoided. If you would like to know whether a food is braces friendly, just ask our friendly team for advice!
Examples of Sticky Foods to Avoid:
- Gum (sugar-free or regular)
- Liquorice
- Toffee
- Caramels
- Chewy lollies
Examples of Hard Foods to Avoid:
- Ice
- Nuts
- Hard taco shells
- French bread crust/rolls
- Corn on the cob
- Apples (unless cut into small pieces)
- Bagels
- Chips
- Pizza crust
- Uncooked carrots (unless cut or grated)
Minimise Sugary Foods like:
- Cake
- Ice Cream
- Cookies
- Pie
- Lollies
- Soft drinks
- Sports drinks
- Juices
We also encourage patients to quit bad habits, such as fingernail biting, pencil and pen chewing. Doing these can increase chances of breaking your appliance! If any damage is to occur to your orthodontic appliance, you should notify our team at Straight Orthodontics immediately so that we can organise repairs. For more information, please contact us here.