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It’s established that getting braces is one of the major ways to improve dental health and maintain that charming smile, but it comes with some responsibility on the part of the patient, especially with their diet. 

While it’s the job of the Orthodontist to align teeth into perfection, it’s the job of the patient to protect those delicate wires from snapping, loosening, or causing an emergency appointment. 

Unlike other practices, orthodontics Smiles+Grins doesn’t just focus on correcting teeth alignment or other issues. They educate you on how to protect the corrected teeth. To protect the teeth, the patient must begin by understanding the foods to avoid with braces.

Below are ten foods you didn’t think were harming your braces: 

Sticky Candies

Sticky foods are not good for the teeth generally. And with braces, they should be avoided. This is because they stick to the wires of the braces and are very difficult to remove. This ends up causing decays and bacterial accumulation, and the need for dental treatment.

Hard Candies and Nuts

The significant pressure required to chew hard candies and nuts can easily crack the brackets or bend orthodontic wires. Patients with braces should opt for softer snacks that wouldn’t require extreme effort to chew in order to prevent straining the hardware attached to their teeth.

Chewy Foods

Just like foods that require intense pressure, foods that require sustained chewing can gradually loosen brackets or distort the wires. Common examples of these foods include:

• Bagels
• Licorice
• Thick pizza crust
• Protein bars like GoMacro bars.

Popcorn

Popcorn seems generally harmless, but it poses two different problems. First, if unpopped kernels are bitten accidentally, the brackets could break. Second, popcorn husks often become trapped between teeth and beneath wires. 

Taking out the trapped husk is difficult, so you are advised to take out popcorn from your diet altogether. 

Crunchy Fruits and Vegetables

Crunchy foods can apply pressure to the teeth and, hence, to the braces and cause some damage or discomfort. However, fruits are important for a healthy diet, so always cut your fruits into bite-sized pieces before taking them. 

Sugary Drinks

Sugar causes a lot of damage to the teeth and gums. Drinks with a lot of sugar content should be avoided because they create an environment for bacteria to grow. The intake of such foods and drinks should be limited to the bare minimum

Clinics that provide comprehensive dental services like Smiles+Grins encourage patients to take more water, as it is the safest option during orthodontic treatment. 

Ice

A lot of new patients think braces hurt and want to use ice to ease the pain, but that’s not a good idea at all. Ice is quite hard; it’s easy to break brackets or snap cables.

It is also harmful to eat pieces of ice in drinks. Instead of eating the ice, you can slurp slushes in straws.

Tough Meats

Tough meats like steak, beef jerky, and thick pork chops require a strong chewing force. This force can tug at braces and loosen brackets. Choosing tender cuts of meat and picking slow-cooked options is a safer alternative.

Certain Breads

Patients should consider softer bread options. Harder bread causes a strain on your braces’ wires, making them unsafe. Go for softer bread alternatives that will be safe for your braces and will allow you to enjoy your regular breads without much limitation.

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Crunchy Snacks 

The most common examples include:

• Hard pretzels
• Tortilla chips
• Crackers
• Corn chips

These snacks can lodge between your teeth and between the wires of your braces, thereby leading to decay and infection. They can also crack brackets. If you are craving snacks, opt for cheese cubes and yogurts.

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In conclusion 

You shouldn’t have to give up all your favorite foods if you or your child is currently putting on braces. When you wear braces, all you have to do is know what foods to stay away from to keep your brackets from breaking and make your treatment go more smoothly. 

Have you had to give up your favorite foods because you’re on braces? Do you have an alternate opinion regarding food and your dental health? You can leave comments with your ideas, advice, or inquiries.