Foods You Can & Can’t Eat with Braces
With orthodontic treatments like traditional braces and Six Month Smiles®, a series of wires and brackets are utilized to slowly shift the teeth into a straighter position. Traditional braces use metal wires and brackets, while the Six Month Smiles system involves tooth-colored nickle titanium wires and clear brackets. To help braces stay in good condition and do their job properly, Dr. Robin Rutherford recommends his orthodontic patients adjust their diet to avoid certain types of foods. While this doesn’t have to be a drastic change, there are specific foods that can increase the risk of loosening or breaking brackets.
- What to Eat: soft foods and foods that are in small pieces
- What to Avoid: foods that are hard, sticky, chewy, or tend to stain
Sometimes simply adding an extra stage of preparation can make foods safer to eat with braces. This includes slicing apples or pears into smaller pieces and cooking vegetables like carrots so they’re softer. Keep in mind, however, that certain food items should be avoided altogether, as they tend to damage braces or encourage tooth decay. This includes taffy, gum, popcorn kernels, and nuts.
Dr. Rutherford will help you understand how to care for your braces—whether you choose to receive traditional metal braces or the innovative Six Month Smiles system. If you have any questions about how to properly alter your diet for braces, or would like to schedule an appointment to get started with a teeth-straitening system, please contact The Art of Dentistry today!