Think of your time in braces as a sacrifice to benefit your future smile and confidence! This sacrifice includes taking certain precautions. You should, for example, avoid foods that can increase your risk of dental disease and damage your braces. Otherwise, you could develop tooth decay and gum disease and/or prolong your treatment.
Here are several foods we recommend avoiding after you get braces:
1. Popcorn
Popcorn is one of the foods you should avoid the whole time you have metal or ceramic braces. Unpopped kernels can crack a tooth or break your braces’ brackets and wires, while the husks can get stuck in between your teeth and irritate your gums.
2. Whole Nuts
Unless you have a nut allergy, nuts are a healthy snack packed with tooth-healthy minerals like calcium and phosphorus, and protein. When you have braces, however, hard nuts can bend the wires on braces and delay your treatment progress. Instead of snacking on whole nuts (such as almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, and pistachios) opt for a smooth nut butter on your sandwich or paired with apple slices.
3. Hard & Chewy Candy
Everyone, particularly patients with braces, should avoid hard and chewy candy. Hard candy can damage braces, as well as crack and chip teeth. Chewy candy can strain your jaw and increase your risk of cavities and gum disease. The sugary particles easily get stuck on your teeth and around your brackets. When bacteria feast upon this lingering sugar, they produce damaging acids that erode your enamel and irritate your gums.
For your braces to work their teeth-straightening magic, you’ll need to forgo these foods that can damage your braces and compromise your oral health. But we promise it will be worth it! At OrthodonTEX, one of our favorite experiences is watching our patients’ light up once their braces come off. If the process of wearing braces feels like a struggle now, try to concentrate on the straight smile you’ll have once it’s all over! To ask our team any questions or to schedule a consultation, please contact us today.
