Foods to Avoid
Dr. Mac’s “No-No” List
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. 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 be avoided.
Examples of Sticky Foods to Avoid:
- Gum (sugar-free or regular)
- Licorice
- Sugar Daddies
- Toffee
- Tootsie Rolls
- Caramels
- Starburst
Examples of Hard Foods to Avoid – they will totally destroy your braces!
- Ice
- Nuts
- Hard taco shells
- French bread crust/rolls
- Corn on the cob
- Apples and carrots (unless cut into small pieces)
- Bagels
- Chips
- Jolly Ranchers
- Pizza crust
- Uncooked carrots (unless cut)
Other Foods to Avoid:
- Hard Pretzels
- Suckers
- Ribs – knocks off brackets
- Popcorn – the little shells get between the gum and band – and hurts like crazy!
- Pens and pencils – favorite exam-time food that breaks everything
Minimize Sugary Foods like:
- Cake
- Ice Cream
- Cookies
- Pie
- Candy
Only Once a Day:
- Soda
- Sweetened tea
- Gatorade
- Kool-Aid
- Drinks with sugar
Eating these foods will loosen the braces, but you may not discover the problem until hours or days later. Loose bands, broken wires and detached brackets cause a longer treatment time.