Orthodontist always recommends a healthy balanced diet for oral health benefits. But sometimes having braces causes dietary adjustments that need to be made in order to protect your braces, and ensure that your treatment goes smoothly. For most situations, common senses will tell you what to avoid while having braces. This is because some food have potential to break or damage the braces completely.
Sticky foods
Sticky foods like caramel, toffies or chewing gums are bad for the teeth and braces. Besides from being sweet these foods are sticky and chewing it will stick to the braces. Any food that sticks and pulls at the teeth should be avoided because these food creates the risk of cavities formation. Some sticky foods include:
- Caramel chocolates
- Toffies
- Chewing gums
- Candy
- Hard pretzels
Hard foods
Some foods are too tough to bite with the braces. Biting hard food with braces can bend or break the brace wire. To keep your braces save and to protect them, avoid food that are hard. The food which are hard usually breaks the braces and dis-attaches them from the joint. At times hard foods can be taken by breaking them into small pieces like carrot and apple. Food which come under the hard category are:
- Apple and carrot
- Nuts
- Pizza’s crust
- Ice-cubes
- Hard candies
Sugar foods
Sugary foods have the same impact as sticky foods. They get stuck into the tiny space of braces which could lead to the onset of cavities which could further lead to oral injuries. This sugary and starchy food generates plaque acid that can cause tooth decay and promotes gum diseases. Sugary food that becomes lodged between the teeth are harmful to oral health. Food that come under sugary food category are:
- Cake or pastries
- Chocolates
- Ice-creams
- Sugar candies
- Sugar cookies
- Sugary chewing gums
Though braces are orthodontic appliances, they need to be taken proper care. This means eating food that are gentle to the braces should be preferred to avoid the breakage of the brackets and wire. Soft foods are most recommended food for those who wear braces because they are simple and easier to chew.