Braces are going to make your smile stunning! To get the new smile and functional bite you want, you’ll have to be careful while wearing your braces. Your diet might change a little, which means you have to be careful what you eat and how you eat it. Some foods should be avoided completely, while others will need to be cut up. Some sticky, sugary foods should be avoided all the time, not just while wearing braces.
Hard Foods
Hard foods can damage your braces and your teeth! We don’t want you to have to call us for an emergency appointment for a broken bracket, or have to call your dentist for a chipped tooth. Avoid the following foods:
- Nuts
- Jolly Ranchers, jawbreakers, and other hard candy.
- Corn on the cob (it must be cut off first).
- Chips
- Carrots and apples (unless cut into small pieces).
- Cubed or crushed ice
- Peanut Brittle
Sticky Foods
Sticky foods can not only pull the brackets off your teeth, but they can get crammed in between your brackets and your teeth. When food gets stuck, bacteria grows and can cause cavities or infection. Avoid the following sticky foods:
- Caramels, soft or hard
- Gum, especially with sugar
- Licorice
- Toffee
- Gummy bears, gummy worms, or any gummy candy
- Taffy, hard or soft
Sugary Foods
We all love to indulge in treats and desserts, but you should make sure not to go overboard. When you decide to have a sugary treat, make sure you brush and floss after to keep the sugar from sitting on your teeth. Braces can turn the inside of your mouth into a complicated maze, and sugars can stick to your teeth for a longer period of time, turning into plaque. You don’t want plaque, because it turns into cavities. Do everything you can to take care of your mouth and prevent problems. Avoid sugary sweets as much as you can.
If you do have a problem with your teeth, or if a bracket comes loose, make sure to contact us as soon as possible. You can call us at (469) 619-9959.