The reason you are wearing braces is to have a beautiful, healthy smile. It takes time, anywhere from six months up to three years to achieve this, depending on your dental problems. To get the results you want, you need to properly brush and floss regularly as well as eat the right foods.
There are certain banned foods with braces because those foods can either break the wires and brackets or contribute to tooth damage. If you do break your braces, you should come immediately to our office to get them fixed. This could extend the amount of time you need to wear them, but if you don’t and you suffered tooth damage, it will still be there when your braces are removed, and it will deflect from your attractive smile.
When we refer to banned foods with braces, many of them are not so much banned, but should be limited in their consumption. And of course, it will depend on the type of braces you are wearing. Some of the foods you should either avoid eating altogether or eat in a different way while you are wearing braces may include:
- Apples, pears, chicken wings and corn on the cob are all foods that you usually bite with your front teeth. If you are wearing braces, this should be avoided at all costs. However, you do not need to miss these and other delicious items. Apples, pears, raw carrots, and other fruit that you would normally bite, can be cut into thin slices. Just cut them into small pieces and enjoy! For corn on the cob, you can cut off the kernels first and then enjoy.
- Any food that crunches when you eat it may break your braces. Corn chips, hard candy, peanut brittle, popcorn, and ice cubes will all do damage to your braces. Even pizza crust can bend wires, but the rest of the pizza is fine. You may also want to avoid hard bread rolls, beef jerky, and croutons.
- Soft and gooey items should also be avoided. Your braces have many nooks and crannies that will hold soft food and can be very difficult to clean. Taffy, gummi candy, caramel candy, soft chocolate, and any kind of chewing gum are good examples. When these items are trapped in your braces, they could stay there for days. This is long enough to begin the breakdown of tooth enamel, causing a white spot to appear on your teeth. This spot will not go away even when your braces are removed; therefore, it is not worth the risk.
You may feel like all your favorite foods have been banned, but there is still hope to enjoy meals. Some foods that you can eat are bananas, melons, grapes, hull-less popcorn, cheese, yogurt, mashed potatoes, noodle dishes, including spaghetti and mac and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, and soft cookies. Hard cookies can also be eaten if they are dipped in milk first.
There are some sacrifices you may have to make to have the attractive smile you want. Being aware of the banned foods with braces and avoiding them or limiting their consumption, as well as taking the time to brush and floss your teeth properly, will give your braces the chance they need to correct your teeth in the shortest possible time.
If you have any questions on what to avoid while wearing braces, visit the office of Brodie Bowman, DMD in Fort Walton Beach or Niceville. During an appointment, you can learn more about the proper care of teeth and braces. Contact us today to book your orthodontic appointment.