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 while sticky foods can get caught between brackets and wires. Minimize sugary foods; they cause tooth decay  and related problems. Nail biting, pencil and pen chewing and chewing on foreign objects should also be avoided.

Examples of Sticky Foods

• Gum (unless sugar-free)
• Licorice
• Sugar Daddies
• Toffee
• Tootsie Rolls
• Caramels
• Starburst

Examples of Hard Foods

• Ice
• Nuts
• Hard taco shells
• French bread 
• Bagels
• Chips
• Pizza crust
• Corn on the cob (unless cut off the cob)
• Apples and carrots (unless cut into small pieces)

Minimize Sugary Foods like:

• Cake
• Ice Cream
• Cookies
• Candy
• Soda
• Gatorade
• Drinks with sugar

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.