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.

Sticky Foods to Avoid:

Bubble Gum (sugar-free is OK)
Licorice
Sugar Daddies
Toffee
Tootsie Rolls
Caramels
Starburst
Chocolate with nuts
Gummy Fruits/Candies

Hard Foods to Avoid:

Ice
Nuts, Corn Nuts or Sunflower seeds
Any Fruit with a Pit – Apples, Pears (cut into wedges or small pieces)
Hard taco shells
French bread crust/rolls
Corn on the cob
Celery and carrots (unless cut into small pieces or cooked)
Bagels
Chips (no thick tortilla or corn chips)
Jolly Ranchers
Pizza crust
Popcorn

Minimize Sugary Foods like:

Cake
Ice Cream
Cookies
Pie
Candy

*You need to brush your teeth thoroughly after eating sweets.

Only Once a Day:

Soda
Sweetened tea
Gatorade
Kool-Aid
Drinks with sugar

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.