Your Albany Dental Experts at ISong Orthodontics – Foods to Avoid With Braces!
I Song Orthodontics understands that it can be a drag to have braces. If you aren’t using accelerated orthodontics, the average time you’ll spend in braces from start to finish is about 18-24 months. During that time, you must avoid eating certain foods that could damage the appliances or become trapped between the brackets and wires. This is inconvenient but unavoidable.
Whether you have braces or not, it’s important to be aware of how some of these foods can adversely affect your teeth. They can leave your enamel vulnerable to erosion, causing harm to your teeth and gum tissue. Braces are meant to help you with your oral health, but they also throw up a few hurdles. They make it harder to speak and eat, and they also make it harder to maintain those good dental habits that you learn from I Song Orthodontics.
While you’re in braces, being good to your teeth and your dental appliances helps to facilitate the process. When you know more about what’s good for your teeth, it helps you to make better, more educated decisions that will provide a good foundation for you to enjoy your natural, sparkling set of teeth for years to come.
Keep in mind that your braces can be damaged from one wrong bite. This can compromise your entire orthodontic treatment, so make sure that you are careful and smart about what you eat. Don’t forget to visit our Facebook!
Make sure to avoid the following foods:
Make sure to avoid the following foods:
Early orthodontic treatment, also known as Phase I, addresses issues with tooth and jaw development in children as young as 7. By starting early, we can guide jaw growth and create a healthier environment for permanent teeth to erupt.
- Hard Foods
Try to avoid foods like almonds, jawbreakers, pizza crusts, crispy chips, raw carrots, or anything that is going to require more force from your jaw to bite through. Chowing down on hard foods can disrupt your orthodontics, damaging important wires and brackets. Instead of snacking on peanut brittle, opt for soft serve; your teeth will thank you in the end. Make sure that after you eat, you keep up a strong brushing and flossing routine.
- Tough Meat
Snacks like beef jerky and other dehydrated meats can loosen the wires and brackets of your braces. Avoid eating tough steaks as well: any sort of food that is going to be cumbersome to eat and requires a lot of force from your jaw. You don’t want to be putting undue pressure on your orthodontics.
- Sticky Foods
Taffy is a no-go. So are other candies, especially candy that is high in sugar or foods that come with a crunch. Avoid potato chips, and certainly avoid peanut brittle. Do not chew on candy that you are meant to suck on. You’ll want to avoid hard candy like that at all costs anyway, as well as anything that can get stuck in your brackets and wires, which will cause them to undergo stress and possibly even loosen. Protect your orthodontics every step of the way. Gum is another thing you should avoid. Instead, opt for a sugar-free breath mint.
- Don’t Chew on Inedible Items!
This includes pens. Make sure that you don’t bite your fingernails or chew on other hard objects. Stay away from chewing on ice, too, which can also loosen your brackets and wires. Ice is one of the most common culprits when it comes to damaged braces.
You may be tempted to use ice for pain relief, and it can soothe sore spots on your teeth and gums, but make sure that you’re not chewing on it. Instead, apply it from the outside of the cheek. A bag of frozen peas works nicely.
Food You Can Eat While You Have Braces:
I Song Orthodontics doesn’t want to ruin your party, so we thought we’d also list some foods that you can go ahead and indulge in Soft Fruits and Veggies Steam your vegetables, if possible.
Grapefruits, nectarines, kiwi, avocado, tangerines, ripe peaches, and many other fruits and softer greens are better for your orthodontics. It might be an adjustment if you’re on a raw vegetable diet, but your dental investment should avoid hard foods like carrots or even celery.
- Eat Healthy Dairy
Yogurt can be high in probiotics and in some cases will add much-needed protein to your diet (think Greek yogurt). Cheese can also be a healthier option when you go with cheeses that aren’t made from animal proteins.
- Eat Soft Meats When Possible
Eating tender, roasted chicken is easier on your teeth than a well-done steak. Turkey and meatloaf can often be tender as well. Lunch meat, seafood, and certain types of sushi and sashimi can be welcome alternatives as well.
- Eat Desserts!
Again, you’ve earned it. Having braces is not easy, but you can reward yourself for your commitment with pudding, ice cream, frozen yogurt, applesauce, smoothies, and some other soft treats. We figure we don’t have to twist your arm too hard on this one. But do make sure that you brush your teeth between meals and after snacks, especially those that are sugar-heavy. It’s important to stay on top of your oral health game even when rewarding yourself.
Take The Opportunity To Make Your Diet Healthier
We hope that you’ve found our dietary advice helpful. Braces may hinder you in some ways, but they can also be the catalyst you need for setting the foundation for good oral health, which also leads to good overall health. While you undergo braces treatment, take the opportunity to make your diet healthier, so that when the braces come off, you aren’t tempted anymore by the thought of hard, sugary candies. Braces are an investment in your future, and the dietary changes you make when you have braces can be part of that investment.
Schedule Your Routine Visits and Checkups
Make sure you schedule your routine visits and checkups with I Song Orthodontics. At I Song Orthodontics, we are dedicated to providing exceptional orthodontic care tailored to your unique needs. Our experienced team utilizes the latest technology and techniques to ensure a comfortable and effective treatment journey.
If you are ready to achieve the smile you’ve always desired, we invite you to take the next step. Book your appointment today and discover how our personalized approach can transform your dental health and confidence. Don’t wait any longer—your perfect smile is just a click away!