Eating With Braces

Missing out on your favorite foods is always a concern when getting braces.  Your orthodontist may give you a list of common foods to avoid.   Obvious foods that are chewy such as Taffy are important to avoid as they will potentially cause damage to your brackets, thus prolonging your treatment.

When eating questionable foods, damage may occurs to your braces such as the wire or brackets that goes unseen.  This will also delay your treatment.  Loose brackets delay treatment because they are not able to bond to the tooth they are supposed.   Choosing what you eat while wearing braces is an important decision as you want to keep your treatment in line for each adjustment when seeing your orthodontist.

Common foods to avoid while wearing braces include:

• Apples
• Carrots
• Steak
• Chewing On Ice
• Hard Nuts such as Almonds
• Ribs
• Hard Candies
• Chewy Candies

When wearing braces it is also important to try and drink clear liquids such as water as it is hard to keep a good hygiene routine and cavities do form fast.   When wearing braces we recommend that you step up your daily routine three times to ensure your teeth and gums are staying healthy.

It is common for orthodontist to see patients that have been slacking on the flossing and the gums pay for it dearly.  Gum disease gingivitis is very likely to develop when a person gives up on flossing due to the added effort it takes with braces.   We like to see patients with braces floss three times daily, especially after meals.

If you are wearing invisible braces such as Invisalign, than you are a lucky duck when it comes to what you eat.  You can simple take out your aligners and enjoy your food.  However do not attempt to eat or drink with your aligners in.

There are several books available on the market such as the “Braces Cookbook” in which you may purchase in our online dental store.