List of Foods to Eat and Avoid With Braces

Even if your braces are durable, you still need to treat them with care. And this starts with watching what you eat since some food and drinks can affect the durability of your braces. Moreover, your mouth and braces will be happier if you avoid these foods. Take note that Braces prices are not cheap; therefore, preventing these foods can help to not get another set of braces thus, avoiding unnecessary expenses.

Foods to Avoid

Candes and chewy caramels. Candies are too hard to be chewing when you have braces. You are likely to end up with broken brackets or damaged wires if you eat too many candies. Caramels are sticky candies that can get lodged between the tooth and a brace. .

Gum. The main risk of chewing gum is similar to caramel where it can get stuck between the wires of the brackets or bending the wire.

Popcorn. Regular popcorn kernels can get stuck under the gums and wires of the braces. If it is hidden in the right spot, it can be incredibly difficult to remove. Also, the kernel can be pressed against the gum which can cause irritation and pain.

Nuts and shells. Biting into the nuts and shells can force the wires out of alignment. The shards of the shells can scratch your gums and even crack your teeth. When you chew nuts, it breaks down into creamy paste that can stick to the crevices of your mouth and some of the pieces can lodge around your braces.

Taco shells and corn chips. Even though potato chips and taco shells are brittle, it can do a lot in damaging your braces. These are hard and crunchy that can easily damage the braces and get stuck between the teeth.

Crackers. Crackers are thicker than the taco shells, so expect to get as much damage to your braces as the taco shells can do.

Beef jerky. Beef jerky is very tough meat that can easily loosen the wires and brackets on your braces. The same can happen to poorly cooked beef or pork.

Chocolates. It is safe to eat soft chocolates, but avoid the hard ones since you will be forced to bite into the food which can easily destroy your dental appliance.

By now, you should already know the pattern. Hard, sticky, chewy, and tough to bite foods are the ones you should avoid eating.

Read What to do when brackets break?

Drinks to Avoid

Sugary and Acidic Drinks

Soda is highly acidic therefore drinking too much soda while you have your braces could stain the brackets and wires. Sugary juices contain a lot of sugar that will make your enamel vulnerable to attacks that can cause cavities and tooth decay.

Coffee and Tea

Coffee and tea are highly pigmented which can stain the brackets and bands of your braces. These types of drinks can heavily affect the translucency of clear ceramic braces.

Drinks that Stain Ligatures

For ceramic braces, avoid beverages that could stain the ligatures. If it cannot be avoided, limit the amount of consumption of such to prevent the stains. The following can stain the ligatures: