Top foods to avoid
Wearing braces can, unfortunately, limit the types of food you can eat. Certain foods can get caught in your orthodontics and damage the wires and brackets, which could slow your treatment’s progress.
The types of food to avoid with braces can be split into three major groups:
- Sticky foods
- Hard foods
- Foods high in sugar
To facilitate your treatment and avoid complications, we’ve taken the liberty of identifying the top 3 foods from each group that you may want to avoid.
1. Sticky/Chewy Foods
Avoiding sticky foods will save you from discomfort and the embarrassment of having food stuck between your brackets and braces.
Caramels – Lollies like the popular Fantales are not only full of sugar, but the caramel in them is very sticky and gets caught between your teeth. Having foods high in sugar caught between your braces will lead to tooth decay – so it goes without saying these foods are number one on our list of foods to avoid.
Muesli Bars – A lunchbox staple for many school kids, these favourite snacks are sure to get lodged between your brackets.
Dried Fruit – Many dried fruits such as apricots are extremely sticky. If, despite your best efforts, you find yourself enjoying sticky foods, be sure to floss and rinse your mouth regularly to avoid/dislodge food stuck between brackets and braces.
2. Hard Foods
Biting down on hard foods can damage wires and brackets, which can mean a trip back to Orthodontics Exclusively for a tune up.
Ice – If you like to chew the ice cubes in your drink. They will cause damage to braces. Don’t – and try to avoid putting ice in your drink if possible.
Nuts – So it is with people, so it is with food. Some nuts are harder than others, but it’s best to avoid this food group if you wish to protect your braces.
Apples and Carrots – Biting into a whole apple or raw carrot can damage your braces significantly. They are ok if they are cut into smaller pieces and eaten carefully.
Popcorn – As you chew popcorn, small pieces can fit between the spaces in your teeth and wires. In addition, crunching on popcorn kernels are hard and can cause damage to the braces.
3. Sugary Foods
Sugar is directly linked to tooth decay and other dental problems, and getting sugar on your braces won’t help.
Soft Drinks – An obvious choice as any good dentist will tell you – loaded with sugar and devoid of nutritional value, they are to be avoided with or without braces.
Lollies – Traditional favourites in Australia, lollies make our list. High in sugar and likely to get caught between your braces, they can stick to braces causing decay.
Visit one of our clinics and speak to a specialist regarding your orthodontic treatment.