What Not to Eat

Making smart food choices is an important part of successful orthodontic treatment. Avoiding certain foods can help prevent broken brackets, bent wires, and unnecessary delays, allowing your smile to progress as planned.

PROTECT YOUR BRACES AND KEEP TREATMENT ON TRACK

Why Food Choices Matter

SMALL CHANGES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

Damaged orthodontic appliances are one of the most common reasons for unexpected appointments and extended treatment times. While accidents can happen, many broken brackets and bent wires are caused by eating foods that are too hard, sticky, or chewy.


By making a few simple adjustments to your diet, you can help protect your braces and keep your orthodontic treatment moving forward without unnecessary interruptions.

  • Sticky and Chewy Foods

    Sticky and chewy foods can easily become trapped around your braces, placing extra pressure on brackets and wires as you chew. This may cause brackets to loosen or wires to bend, which can affect how your teeth move and may require additional appointments to repair your appliances. Foods such as gum, even sugar-free varieties, caramels, taffy, licorice, gummy candies, Hot Tamales, Mike and Ikes, Tootsie Rolls, Starburst, Snickers, Skittles, Milky Way, and other sticky, chewy, or gooey treats should be avoided throughout your orthodontic treatment.

  • Hard and Crunchy Foods

    Hard and crunchy foods can place significant force on your braces, increasing the risk of broken brackets, bent wires, and damaged orthodontic appliances. To help keep your treatment progressing as planned, avoid biting directly into whole fruits and raw vegetables, beef jerky, corn chips, Cheetos, hard taco shells, ice cubes, nuts, Corn Nuts, sunflower seeds in the shell, corn on the cob, pizza crust, and popcorn, especially unpopped kernels. Whenever possible, cut harder foods into smaller, bite-sized pieces to reduce the risk of damaging your braces.

Protect Your Braces Throughout Treatment

BRACES-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVES

Choosing braces-friendly foods can help protect your appliances and keep your treatment progressing as planned. Hard and sticky foods can damage brackets and wires, leading to unexpected appointments and longer treatment times. Choosing braces-friendly alternatives and following a few simple habits can help protect your appliances and keep your treatment progressing as planned.


Remember, anything too hard can break brackets, while anything too sticky can bend or break wires. If you enjoy sugary foods or drinks, try to brush your teeth afterward. If brushing isn't possible, rinse your mouth thoroughly with water until you're able to clean your teeth properly.

  • Tips for Eating with Braces

    Cut larger foods into smaller, bite-sized pieces before eating to reduce pressure on your braces. Whenever possible, chew using your back teeth instead of biting directly into hard foods like whole apples or crusty bread. Maintain good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing regularly to remove food particles from around your braces. If a bracket becomes loose or a wire breaks, contact our clinic as soon as possible so we can help keep your treatment on schedule.