Wearing braces can have a significant impact on your lifestyle, especially when it comes to your diet.
The metal brackets and wires make it necessary to avoid certain foods.
Eating those can get stuck in your braces, damage them, or lead to cavities.
Therefore, knowing which foods to avoid is crucial to ensure successful orthodontic treatment.
In this article, we will discuss ten common foods that you should steer clear of while wearing braces.
1)) Sticky Candy
Any candy that is chewy, gummy, or sticky should be avoided when wearing braces.
These candies can easily get stuck in your brackets and wires and be very difficult to remove.
Sticky candy can cause plaque buildup and lead to tooth decay or cavities.
2)) Hard Foods
Hard foods such as popcorn, nuts, seeds, and hard candy can break your braces, wires, or bands.
The force required to bite into these foods can cause a bracket to detach from your teeth, which will prolong your orthodontic treatment time.
3)) Sugary Beverages
Sodas, sports drinks, and energy drinks have high levels of sugar, which can lead to tooth decay.
These beverages can stick to your braces and cause discoloration of your teeth.
4)) Corn On The Cob
Corn on the cob might be a favorite summer treat, but it’s best to avoid it while wearing braces.
The kernels can get stuck between your teeth and braces, causing discomfort and pain.
5)) Chewing Gum
Chewing gum can damage the wires and brackets in your braces.
If you must chew gum, choose sugarless gum instead.
6)) Apples And Carrots
While they are a healthy snack option, biting into an apple or carrot may damage your braces.
Cut them into small pieces and chew them with your back teeth instead.
7)) Steak
Steak is a chewy and tough food that can dislodge brackets from your teeth.
Try cutting it into small pieces and avoiding the tough parts.
8)) Crusty Bread
Whether it’s a pizza crust or a baguette, it’s best to avoid crusty bread.
These hard crusts can pull on your braces, which can damage them.
9)) Corn Chips
Corn chips are a staple at many social gatherings, but they are not good for your braces.
These crispy chips can get stuck in your braces, causing discomfort and pain.
10)) Ice
Chewing ice may seem harmless, but it can damage your braces.
The cold temperature and hardness of ice can cause brackets to loosen or break.
Pro-Tip: One of the best ways to safely remove food from teeth braces is to use an interdental brush.
This type of brush is specifically designed to get into the tight spaces between wires and brackets, so it can help remove any food particles that get stuck after eating.
It's important to be gentle when using the brush as well since applying too much pressure can damage the braces.
Also, make sure to rinse your mouth thoroughly after brushing!
This will help ensure that no food particles remain stuck in your teeth or on the braces.
Taking these steps can help you keep your teeth and braces clean and healthy.
Conclusion
Avoiding certain foods while wearing braces is crucial to ensure successful orthodontic treatment.
Stay away from sticky candies, hard foods, sugary beverages, corn on the cob, chewing gum, apples, carrots, steak, crusty bread, corn chips, and ice.
By following these simple rules, you can reduce the risk of damaging your braces or developing cavities.
If you’re unsure if a food is safe to eat, consult with your orthodontist.
Remember that the goal is not to deprive you of your favorite foods; it’s to ensure that you get the smile you’ve always wanted most safely and quickly possible.
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