Foods to Avoid

Your teeth may be a little sore for the first week in braces, so we recommend sticking to a soft food diet until the discomfort subsides.

While in braces you can still eat just about anything, although there are a few exceptions. For most situations, common sense will tell you what to avoid.

• Hard foods, sticky foods and foods high in sugar must be avoided. Hard foods can break or damage wires and brackets. You should avoid hard foods, such as ice and pizza crust, as well as sticky foods, including licorice and caramels. These foods can damage wires and brackets.
• It is also important to minimize foods high in sugar content, like ice cream and cookies and reduce sugary drinks. These can cause tooth decay and related problems.
• You should avoid nail biting, pencil or pen chewing and chewing on foreign objects.

It's important to regularly check your braces for bent or loose wires and brackets. In the event of a loose/broken wire or bracket, call our office immediately to arrange an appointment for repair.