When you are wearing braces, it is important to protect your braces by avoiding certain foods. Hard, sticky and sugary foods can damage the wires and brackets and affect your smile.
Sticky Foods You Should Avoid
- Gum (sugar-free or regular)
- Licorice
- Excessively sticky candies like Starbursts, Sugar Daddies, Tootsie Rolls or Milk Duds
- Caramels
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Hard Foods You Should Avoid
- Ice
- Nuts
- Hard taco shells
- French bread crust/rolls
- Corn on the cob
- Apples and carrots (unless they are cut into small, bite size pieces)
- Bagels
- Chips
- Jolly Ranchers
- Hard pizza crust
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Minimize Sugary Foods, Like:
- Cake
- Ice Cream
- Cookies
- Pie
- Candy
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Only Once A Day:
- Soda
- Sweetened tea
- Gatorade
- Kool-Aid
- Any drink with high amounts of sugar
We also recommend patients avoid bad habits such as fingernail biting, pencil and pen chewing or chewing on any other foreign objects. Any of these activities or foods can damage your braces and affect the length and level of your treatment. If you have broken brackets or wires, please call us as soon as possible to have them repaired.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment with our orthodontist, Dr. Cory Coe, please call Beaches and Braces today at 616-878-5960 or 616 457-4220 and learn more about orthodontics in Byron Center, Grand Rapids and Jenison, Michigan!
