Foods to Avoid with Braces

Comprehensive Orthodontic Treatment in Buckeye, AZ

At Olson Orthodontics, we believe everyone deserves a smile they're truly proud of, and our mission is to help each of our patients achieve one. As a leading orthodontist serving the Buckeye and Litchfield Park areas, Dr. Chris Olson we work closely with patients to design customized treatment plans that make achieving a new smile convenient, and we proudly treat patients of all ages. While we offer a wide variety of treatment options, traditional braces are still our most popular treatment. And if you choose to straighten your teeth with braces, you'll need to make a few changes to your diet in order to protect your teeth.

What Foods Can't You Eat with Braces?

During treatment with orthodontic braces, one of the biggest lifestyle changes you'll have to make is diet. While wearing braces, you'll need to carefully avoid any foods that are hard, crunchy, sticky, gooey, or packed with sugar. Hard and crunchy foods pose a risk of damaging braces as biting down the wrong way can snap off brackets, while sticky foods can get caught in brackets and archwires and cause damage. Sugary foods may not damage braces directly, but the sugar serves as food for bacteria in your mouth that break it down into acids, corroding tooth enamel and increasing your risk of dental decay.

Ultimately, you'll need to use your best judgment in avoiding any foods that could pose a threat to your braces. But to help you get a feel for what you'll need to avoid, here are a few common foods that can damage braces:

Sticky Foods to Avoid with Braces

  • Starburst
  • Gum (including sugar-free)
  • Caramels
  • Licorice
  • Tootsie Rolls
  • Sugar Daddie
  • Toffee

Hard Foods to Avoid with Braces

  • Apples, carrots, & other hard fruits & veggies (unless cut into pieces)
  • Ice
  • Chips
  • Corn on the cob (ok if corn is cut off the cob)
  • Nuts
  • Bagels
  • Hard-crusted bread like French bread
  • Hard taco shells
  • Pizza Crust
  • Jolly Ranchers

Sugary Foods to Avoid with Braces

  • Candy
  • Cake
  • Pie
  • Cookies
  • Ice Cream

Sugary Beverages to Limit

  • Soda
  • Kool-Aid
  • Sweet Tea
  • Gatorade

In addition to avoiding foods like these, you'll also want to quit any lingering habits that could harm braces like nail biting, chewing on pencils, or chewing on any other foreign objects. Your braces are only designed to withstand normal chewing and oral hygiene activities – any other use of your teeth could pose a risk to both teeth and braces.

Contact Your Buckeye & Verrado, AZ Orthodontist

During treatment, you'll want to regularly check your braces for any bent, broken, or damaged brackets or wires, as any form of orthodontic emergency will warrant immediate attention. And if you ever do find something wrong with your braces, or you simply have a question about treatment, we're here to help. Contact us today with any questions you may have or to schedule a check-up appointment at our office. We can't wait to hear from you!

Olson Orthodontics

  • Litchfield Park Office - 13575 W. Indian School Rd., Suite 400, Litchfield Park, AZ 85340 Phone: 623-536-7004
  • Verrado/Buckeye Office - 4252 N. Verrado Way, Suite 105, Buckeye, AZ 85396 Phone: (623) 536-7004

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