Braces

Braces and Food

Be attentive to what you eat while wearing braces. Certain types of foods should be avoided, as they can become lodged between the wires of your braces and in some cases can even damage or pull off your brackets!

Foods that you should avoid include:

• Chewy foods – such as bagels and licorice
• Crunchy foods – such as popcorn, ice, and chips
• Sticky foods – such as caramel and chewing gum
• Hard foods – such as nuts and hard candies
• Foods that require biting into – such as corn on the cob, raw carrots, and uncut apples
• Sugary Liquids- such as soda, Gatorade and sweet tea.

There are, however, many foods that you can still enjoy while wearing braces.

These include:

• Dairy – such as soft cheese, pudding, and milk-based drinks
• Soft breads – such as soft tortillas, pancakes, and muffins without nuts
• Grains – such as pasta and soft-cooked rice
• Meats/Poultry – such as soft-cooked chicken, lunch meats, and meatballs
• Seafood – such as tuna salmon, crab cakes
• Vegetables – such as mashed potatoes, steam spinach, and beans
• Fruits – such as applesauce, bananas, and fruit juice
• Treats – such as ice cream without nuts, milkshakes, soft cake, and Jell-O

Remember, your braces treatment will not last forever. If you have to modify your diet because of your orthodontic treatment, it will be temporary and well worth it!