Once you’ve decided to get braces, it’s important to take extra care to keep them clean and not to accidentally break them. Certain foods cannot only damage your braces but can also lead to cavities. Here is a list of some foods to avoid:
- Food that crunch such as raw carrots, pears, and apples. If you hear a loud crunch when you bite down, it’s best to avoid these foods as they can shift wires and break brackets. Cut them up into little pieces instead.
- Crunchy peanut butter, granola and nuts of any kind can get stuck in your braces and also damage them.
- Hard taco shells, tortilla chips, pretzel chips and potato chips. Basically, you’re best to avoid all chips as they often get stuck in your teeth and braces. Also, refrain from eating hard foods like bagels and pizza crust. Eat soft-baked cookies rather than hard cookies.
- Tootsie rolls, jelly beans, gummy snacks, salt-water taffy, Twizzlers, Starburst and other sticky sweets should be avoided. Also, avoid chewing on hard candies.
- Do not eat popcorn and if you wish to eat corn on the cob, remove the kernels first.
After you eat any meal or snack, brush your teeth if possible. Otherwise, swish some water around in your mouth or use mouthwash.
If you need to schedule an emergency visit, do not hesitate to call us and make an appointment.
