What Can You Not Eat With Braces? The Top 10 Foods To Avoid With Braces

If you or your child has just gotten braces, congratulations! You are on your way to achieving a straighter, healthier smile. While braces are a great way to achieve your perfect smile, they require extra care and attention. 

While it is important to know what you can eat with braces, it is possibly more critical to know things you can’t eat with braces. Certain foods can damage your braces, prolong treatment and even cause pain. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 foods to avoid with braces.

1. Hard Candy

Hard candy is probably the worst offender when it comes to damaging braces. Not only can the candy itself break brackets and wires, but the sticky residue can be difficult to remove and will attract plaque and bacteria. It can also cause painful sores on the gums and cheeks. That’s why we suggest you add this to the top of your foods to avoid with braces list.

2. Ice

I know, I know. It's very tempting to break out that bag of ice you just bought from the store, but it's best to skip this one. Ice is incredibly hard, and chewing on it can easily break brackets and damage wires, which is why ice is on the list of foods to avoid with braces. It can also cause tooth enamel to chip and crack, which can lead to pain and cavities.

3. Popcorn

One question we often get is “can you eat popcorn with braces?” We know how impossible it is to sit inside a movie theater without salivating from the smell of that savory, salty popcorn. But popcorn is one of your poisons when you have braces. That's because popcorn kernels can easily become stuck in wires and brackets and are difficult to remove. The act of eating popcorn can also damage wires and brackets. At this point, it is kind of needless to say popcorn is one of the foods to avoid with braces.

4. Nuts

When the festival season comes around, it's difficult not to want to run up to the food stall and order a plate of your favorite nuts. Unfortunately, these tasty treats can easily become stuck in wires and brackets and are difficult to dislodge. The crunchiness of the nut can break brackets and wires as well. They can also cause tooth enamel to chip and crack, so it’s best to leave nuts on the list of foods to avoid with braces.

5. Chewing Gum

We all want the freshest breath possible, but when you have braces, you just can't. Gum can be very difficult to remove from braces and will attract plaque and bacteria if it's not sugar-free. Chewing gum can also damage wires and brackets, so it’s best to keep this among your foods to avoid with braces.

6. Corn on the Cob

We all want to indulge in corn on the cob in the autumn, right? Unfortunately for the metal mouths among us, we should probably be putting corn on the cob on the list of foods to avoid with braces. Corn on the cob is difficult to bite into without damaging wires or brackets. It is also very difficult to remove corn from braces without causing damage or pain. 

7. Apples

Another fall and winter favorite that, unfortunately, is best added to the foods to avoid with braces list is apples. Apples are very hard and can damage wires or brackets if not cut up into small pieces first. The skin of an apple can also be very difficult to remove from braces without causing pain or damage.

8. Carrots

Like apples, carrots are very hard and can damage wires or brackets if not cut up into small pieces first. The skin of a carrot can also be very difficult to remove from braces without causing pain or damage. This is definitely another one of the foods to avoid with braces if you can’t prep them prior to consuming.

9. Chewy Candy

Most dentists will tell you to remember chewy candy as one of the foods to avoid with braces. Chewy candies, like Starbursts and Skittles, are difficult to break down while eating and can easily become stuck in wires and brackets and/or cause pain. The sticky residue can also attract plaque and bacteria.

10. Pizza Crust

Next time you want to reach for that pizza slice, just make sure you cut off that crust (or give it to a friend). Pizza crust is very hard and can damage wires or brackets if not cut up into small pieces first. Otherwise, you might also want to keep pizza crust cut off your pizza but kept on your list of foods to avoid with braces.

Conclusion

These are just a few of the many foods to avoid with braces, regardless if you’re seeking care for your child or as an adult. It is important to take extra care of your teeth and gums while you have braces so that you don’t prolong treatment or cause any unnecessary pain or damage. If you have any questions about what you should or shouldn’t eat with braces, be sure to ask your orthodontist! Or, speak with Bruno Orthodontics.

At Bruno Orthodontics, you’ll receive board certified, expert orthodontic care from Dr. Richard Bruno, DDS. Call us today to schedule a consultation at (248) 435-2000.