Braces require some special care to work their best. To avoid damaging the wires and brackets, you should adjust your diet temporarily. This means avoiding foods that are hard, sticky, or chewy, as they can damage your braces.
It would be best to consult with an experienced orthodontist, like Kumra Orthodontics, about which foods you must avoid. Kumra Orthodontics is the leading orthodontist in Bethesda, MD. They offer a wide range of orthodontic services for all ages, including traditional braces, Invisalign, and many more! With over 15 years of earned reputation, you are sure to receive extraordinary and reliable dental care from them.
Nonetheless, if you don’t have time to visit your dentist yet, here’s a list of foods to avoid while you have your braces treatment:
The Most Problematic Types of Foods to Avoid
Eating habits may need to change in order for your braces to work effectively — which means learning about the most problematic types of foods to avoid when you have braces. Here are the types of food you should avoid when you have braces:
Hard Foods
Hard foods can break your braces! You don’t want to have an extra visit to the orthodontist just because your brackets fell. When you have braces, it’s important to avoid hard foods because they can damage the wires and brackets that make up your orthodontic appliance.
Sticky Foods
Sticky foods easily get stuck in your braces’ wires. It will be harder for you to brush with these particles stuck in your mouth. You don’t want to be prone to cavities just because of this!
Sugary Foods
Too much sugar left in your mouth increases the chances of gum decay and cavities. Avoid this as much as possible to avoid further complications.
Top 10 Worst Foods to Eat with Braces
Having braces is never fun, but it can certainly become even more unpleasant when the wrong foods are consumed. With so many different snacks and meals that could spell disaster for your orthodontic work, it’s hard to know what you should and shouldn’t eat with braces. To help those of us with brackets or wires – we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 worst foods to avoid when you have braces.
1. Gum
Chewing gum is a big no-no for people like you who have braces. It easily gets stuck in between the wires of your braces, sometimes bending it. If this happens, you have to have it fixed with your orthodontist.
2. Chewy Candies
Chewy candies such as caramel and toffee are just like eating gum. It will cause the same problem mentioned above that will lead to an extra visit to the orthodontist.
3. Sports Drinks
Sports drinks are only supposed to be drunk by athletes. If you aren’t an athlete, don’t bother drinking one because it’s filled with sugar. You don’t want the enamel of your teeth to be damaged just because of this!
4. Crunchy Hard Tacos
Avoid crunchy food like hard tacos and other similar food like potato chips! Hard foods like this are known to be the number one culprit for broken brackets and wires.
5. Sugary Desserts
Cakes, ice cream, cookies, and candy are not good for your teeth. They increase the amount of plaque and tartar in your mouth which will lead to the deterioration of your enamel over time.
6. Pizza Crust and Crusty Bread
Crunchy and doughy bread are both bad for people with braces. Bread that is crusty is hard and crunchy, which leads to the bending of wires and the breaking of brackets.
Doughy bread, on the other hand, requires more chewing that can loosen the wires of your braces.
7. Crunchy Fruits
Hard and crunchy fruits like apples, pears, and carrots are healthy, but they can harm your braces if you eat them wrong. If you want to have these fruits, make sure to chop them into small slices or blend them so that they won’t hurt your teeth.
8. Nuts
When you bite a nut, there’s a high chance that some of the nut particles get stuck within the nooks of your teeth. This will lead to gum irritation and decay if you don’t brush properly.
9. Ice
Never ever bite on ice. Whether you have braces or not, it’s bad. It damages your enamel and can create a crack in your tooth. It can also cause serious damage to your braces.
10. Popcorn and Corn on a Cob
Popcorn kernels easily get stuck on your teeth even if you don’t have braces. Now that you have a lot of brackets and wires on your teeth, the chances of getting more kernels stuck is higher. If it’s not removed, you may experience discomfort, swelling, and even an infection!
Additional Tip
While these types of foods might be hard to resist, it’s best not to stress them out. If these are the only food options available for you, you may still eat them, provided that you practice the following:
Chopping the Food into Digestible Chunks
If you will be eating something big or hard, make sure to slice your food into small chunks. That way, you’ll be able to avoid those foods being stuck in between your wires and brackets.
Brushing Properly
Proper brushing is necessary even if you don’t consume these kinds of foods. It should be a habit by now. But please be more observant about brushing after eating these kinds of foods to avoid further complications.
Takeaway
Overall, it is essential to remember when you have braces to take into consideration the foods that you consume. Avoiding the foods on this list will ensure that you not only have a successful and healthy orthodontic experience but that your teeth look nice when you finally get to remove your braces.
When in doubt, it’s always a good idea to consult with your orthodontist or dental professional regarding which types of food are best for you, given your particular situation. Be sure to do the necessary research beforehand so that you can practice safe habits while taking care of your teeth during treatment
