Helpful Hints

Food to Avoid

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 Food to Avoid

Gum (sugar-free or regular)
Sugar Daddies
Toffee
Tootsie Rolls
Caramels
Starburst
Jolly Ranchers
Taffy
Fruit Roll-Ups
Twizzlers

Minimize Sugary Foods Like

Cake
Ice Cream
Cookies
Pie
Candy

Examples of Hard Food to Avoid

Ice
Buffalo Wings ( with bone)
Ribs
Hard Steak
Corn Nuts
Nuts
Hard taco shells
French Bread Crust/Rolls
Corn on the Cob
Apples
Hard Carrots
Popcorn

Only Once a Day Items

Soda
Sweetened Tea
Gatorade
Kool-Aid
Drinks with Sugar

It's important to regularly check your braces for bent or loose wires and brackets. In the event of a loose/broken wire or bracket, call our office immediately to arrange an appointment for repair.

Brushing & Flossing Around Braces

With braces, oral hygiene is more important than ever. That's because braces have tiny spaces where food particles and plaque get trapped, and insufficient cleaning while wearing braces can cause enamel staining and tooth decay around brackets or bands.

Be sure to brush carefully after every meal with fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly and check your teeth in the mirror to make sure they're clean. Take time to floss between braces and under wires with the help of a floss threader. Additionally, visit the dentist to have your teeth cleaned every six months to keep your gums and teeth healthy.

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