Eating While Wearing Braces

Certain foods should be avoided or eaten carefully while wearing braces. Here are helpful tips to keep your braces safe:

Never Eat Hard Foods Whole

Hard items pose the biggest risk. They can loosen brackets or break wires. Avoid eating these foods whole:

• Hard candy
• Popcorn kernels (they can cause irritation or damage if trapped)
• Ice cubes
• Whole hard fruits and vegetables
• Crunchy potato chips
• Gumballs

Slice Fruits and Vegetables First

Many healthy fruits and veggies like carrots and apples are great for you but should be sliced or diced before eating. This reduces the chance of harming your braces and makes chewing easier.

Avoid Sticky Foods

Sticky treats tend to get stuck around braces and can pull off brackets or stain them. Avoid these sticky foods:

• Gum
• Taffy
• Jerky
• Caramel
• Chocolate bars with caramel

Also, foods usually eaten off the bone or cob should be fully removed from their base and cut into small, manageable pieces.

Don’t Chew On Non-Food Items

Chewing pencils, pens, or nails can cause damage. Remember, your braces are delicate. Some habits may need changing to protect your treatment.

Limit Sugary Foods and Drinks

Sugar fuels tooth decay, and braces can make cleaning harder. So it’s crucial to watch sugar intake and brush your teeth thoroughly—ideally four times a day. If brushing isn’t possible after meals, rinse your mouth with water to clear food particles.

Always remove retainers before sipping sugary drinks to prevent trapped sugar from accelerating decay.
Here are sugary foods and drinks to avoid (sugar-free options are usually fine):

• Milk
• Soda
• Breath mints
• Iced tea
• Jam and jelly
• Cereals
• Fruit juice

If you have questions about what to eat with braces, don’t hesitate to reach out to your orthodontist.