Banned Foods for Braces

Adults and children wear braces, or orthodontic appliances, to correct dental problems such as overbites, jaw joint disorders or even crooked teeth. When wearing braces, you should be careful to avoid specific foods that could break or bend the wires of your braces.

Sticky Foods

• Avoid sticky foods when wearing braces. Sticky foods may pull on wires and damage your braces. Gum, taffy, Starbursts, licorice, caramels and other types of candy should not be eaten with braces.

Hard Foods

• Hard foods can break off the brackets and wires in your braces when you are chewing them. Take care to avoid chewing ice, nuts, hard taco shells, chips, Jolly Ranchers and other hard foods. Popcorn should also be avoided. Consider slicing hard foods, such as apples, or softening hard foods to make them easier to chew.

Sugary Foods

• Sugary foods weaken your teeth and often can lead to dental problems. Limit your consumption of sugary foods when you are wearing braces. Sweets such as cake, cookies and ice cream should be avoided. Limit sugary drinks, such as soda or sports drinks, to one a day. Fruits are a natural sweet alternative to sugary foods.