Teeth With Braces: Foods to Avoid

When wearing braces, it's very important to know what kinds of foods to avoid. Foods containing sugar should be minimized, and other kinds of food particles and bacteria can get stuck behind the braces and lead to tooth decay.

Sticky Food

• Any foods that will pull or get stuck in your braces are best to be avoided; that includes all types of chewing gum, gummy candies, caramels, fruit roll-ups and licorice.

Hard and Crunchy Food

• Popcorn is especially troublesome because the bits, pieces and hulls slip into tiny crevices. Avoid hard candy, nuts, chewing on ice, corn on the cob, pretzels, hard cookies (unless you soften them with milk first) and hard or chewy crusts of any kind. If a food is overly crunchy when you bite into it, be cautious.

Hard Food Exceptions

• You can still enjoy apples or pears, but you need to cut them into small pieces or wedges first--taking a bite without doing this can cause too much stress on your braces. You can eat raw carrots, too, but shred or grate them first.

Considerations

• Brush and floss your teeth often. If you have a sugary snack, brush as soon as possible.

Warning

• If you do not avoid foods that are inappropriate, you will spend a lot of extra time at the orthodontist. Damaged braces can lead to a longer treatment process.