The goal of braces is an important one: achieving a beautiful, confident smile that will last a lifetime. While those braces do their job, you have to hold up your end of the deal and avoid certain foods that can damage them and interfere with their work. Keep reading to discover which foods to nix.
Hard foods
Hard foods are hard on braces. They bend wires and break brackets, wreaking havoc on your mouth. Plus, if a wire is broken, those braces aren’t doing their job. Hard foods to avoid include nuts, jerky, bagels, pizza crust, hard breads and rolls, raw apples, pears, carrots, corn on the cob, hard cookies and hard candy. Some foods, such as hard cookies and breads, can be softened if you dip them in milk, making them easier for you to eat. Never chew ice when wearing braces.
| Avoid chewing pens, pencils and your fingernails. They’ll do just as much damage as some foods. |
Sticky foods
Sticky foods can cling to your braces, then pull them apart when you try to remove the food. Caramel and taffy are the biggest culprits. Unfortunately, most candy is sticky, so you may have to find other ways to satisfy your sweet tooth while you wear your braces.
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Staining foods
Foods that stain your teeth are bad enough when don’t have braces. When you wear braces, however, offending foods will stain only the exposed teeth, leaving whiter areas where the braces cover your teeth. When those braces come off, the stains may be very visible, leading to a need for whitening or other costly stain-removing work. Foods known for staining your teeth include soda, tea, wine, fruit juice, tomato sauces, sports drinks and berries.
Foods that are high in sugar content are also staining culprits. They create bacteria in your mouth, which triggers your body to produce acid to fight those bacteria. The acids could stain, so stay away from sweets as much as you can.
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Gum
Gum fits into pretty much every off-limits category for brace wearers. The sugar can stain your teeth, while the chewy and sticky substance can pull your braces apart. Some sugar-free gums may be acceptable in small amounts, but talk to your orthodontist first. He may have a brand he prefers or give you a limit as to how much you can chew.
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