By choosing Doleksi & Wolford Orthodontics to provide your braces or Invisalign, you’ve taken the first big step toward correcting your smile. We are committed to helping you get the best results from your treatment. A major component of this is helping you take care of your braces, Invisalign or other orthodontic appliance between visits.
When you start your treatment, your orthodontist will discuss how to take care of your braces and/or other appliances. This includes avoiding certain foods, especially hard, crunch and gooey items. Consuming such foods risks damaging your braces’ wires and brackets. Additionally, we recommend avoiding too many sugary foods as these can increase the risk of tooth decay.
Avoid These Sticky and Gooey Foods
- Chewing gum (both sugar-free and regular)
- Any food containing caramel
- Any food containing toffee
- Licorice
- Toffee
- Starburst
- Tootsie Rolls
- Gummy candy
- Sugar Daddies
These Hard Foods Can Damage Your Braces
- Ice
- Nuts (loose or in other foods)
- Hard taco shells
- Hard-crusted bread, rolls and pizza crust
- Corn on the cob
- Apples, pears, and carrots (unless cut into small pieces)
- Chips (unless they are very thin or can be eaten in small bites)
- Bagels
- Pretzels
Limit These Sugary Foods
- Cookies
- Cake
- Donuts
- Pastries
- Ice cream
- Pie
- Candy
Limit These Drinks to One Per Day
- Soda
- Sweetened tea
- Sports drinks
- Kool-Aid
- All drinks containing sugar
Other Important Ways To Protect Your Braces
While you have braces, do not bite your nails or chew on items such as pens or pencils. Similarly, do not use your teeth to open packaging, tear things or as a tool for any other such purpose. These activities can easily result in damage to your braces.
Although the above foods and bad practices should be avoided, there is no way to guarantee your braces never get damaged. Periodically inspect them for any bent or loose wires and brackets. If you notice anything is damaged, contact us right away to set up an appointment with an orthodontist.
Get Started With Doleski & Wolford Orthodontics
We want you to get the best possible results from your braces or Invisalign teen or adult treatment. Avoiding the above foods and bad practices will help ensure you end up with a beautiful and healthy smile.
If you have questions about taking care of your orthodontic appliances or want to set up and appointment for you or a family member, contact us. We pride ourselves on being the helpful and informative orthodontist you can trust to deliver results. We are excited to help you get the smile you’ve always wanted.