Diet and Food Recommendations:
Orthodontic appliances are delicate and can easily be damaged. Plus, the teeth are more susceptible to decay while braces are in place, so it is important that certain precautions be taken during treatment. Below is a list of items that you should either avoid or be aware of to protect your teeth and your appliances.
- CANDY 🠔“ some of it is just too hard or chewy and most of it is too sugary; if you do eat soft candy, be sure to brush as soon as possible to get the sugar off of your teeth!
- ICE CUBES 🧊 ”“ DO NOT chew on ice cubes, as they can do a lot of damage.
- FRENCH BREAD and PIZZA CRUST 🕠”“ eat the soft parts and stay away from the hard parts.
- APPLES and CARROTS 🥕”“ cut into small pieces; do not bite into apples or carrots with your front teeth.
- CORN ON THE COB 🌽 ”“ for now it is better “off the cob.”
- TACOS 🌮 ”“ Mexican restaurants had you in mind when they added “soft tacos” to the menu!
- CHIPS 🥠”“ be careful, “nachos” and other tortilla chips can be too hard, so “JUST SAY NO!”
- SPARE RIBS and CHICKEN 🗠”“ they are better “off the bone.”
- GUM 🬠”“ not recommended because it can pull off your colors that hold the wire in, plus it puts stress on your braces and your jaw joints.
- PENCILS, PENS, FINGERNAILS 🖊 ”“ not food; do not chew!