Foods to Avoid
For most situations, common sense will tell you what to avoid. Hard foods, sticky foods and foods high in sugar must be avoided. Hard foods can break or damage wires and brackets. Sticky foods can get caught between brackets and wires. Minimize sugary foods; they cause tooth decay and related problems. Nail biting, pencil and pen chewing and chewing on foreign objects should be avoided as well.
Examples of Sticky Foods to Avoid:
- Gum (sugar-free or regular)
- Licorice
- Sugar Daddies
- Toffee
- Tootsie Rolls
- Caramels
- Starburst
- Etc.
Minimize sugary foods and drinks like:
- Cake
- Ice cream
- Cookies
- Candy
- Soda
- Sweetened tea
- Kool-Aid
- Other drinks with sugar
- Etc.
Examples of Hard Foods to Avoid
- Ice
- Nuts
- Hard taco shell
- Corn on the cob
- Apples and carrot (unless cut into small pieces)
- Chips (Dorritos, Fritos, etc)
- Pizza crust
- Jolly Ranchers
It’s important to regularly check your braces for bent or loose wires and brackets. In the event of a loose/broken wire or bracket, call our office immediately to arrange an appointment for repair.
