Simply visiting your orthodontist and having your braces put on isn’t all that goes into the orthodontic process. There’s plenty of other hard work that goes into making sure that the orthodontic process is a success. You’ll have to work on maintaining your braces, which means cleaning them and even paying attention to the foods that you eat. Unfortunately, some foods aren’t exactly suitable for a patient with braces. Here are some of the foods that we at Lunsford McCaffrey Orthodontics recommend avoiding when you’re wearing braces.
Hard Foods
Hard foods can be problematic for a patient with braces because these types of foods can potentially damage or even break the wires or brackets of your braces. Some examples of hard foods that we recommend you avoid include:
Hard taco shells- Bagels
- Pizza crust
- Nuts
- Chips
- Carrots
- Apples
Sticky Foods
Another type of food that can cause problems for a patient with braces is sticky food. Sticky food can get stuck in a patient’s braces and tug on the wires and brackets, which can loosen them and possibly even pull them off completely. Some examples of sticky foods to avoid are:
- Gum
- Caramel
- Toffee
- Starburst
- Tootsie Rolls
- Licorice
Sugary Foods,
Unlike the two previous categories of foods, you won’t need to completely forgo sugary foods. However, as these foods are obviously packed with sugar, it’s important to limit yourself in consuming these as they can cause tooth decay and other oral problems. Some examples of sugary foods include the following:
- Cake
- Pie
- Cookies
- Ice cream
- Soda
- Sweet tea
- Gatorade
Contact Your West Palm Beach Orthodontist
If you have any further questions about what you should and shouldn’t be eating while you’re wearing braces, please feel free to
contact us. If you’d like to schedule an appointment with us, we encourage you to give us a call at (561) 964-5200. We look forward to hearing from you!