For most situations, common sense will tell you what foods to avoid. However there are certain foods that are commonly known to cause damage to wires and brackets. These are considered hard foods. Some examples are:
- Ice
- Nuts
- Hard taco shells
- French bread crust/rolls
- Corn on the cob
- Apples
- Raw carrots
- Bagels
- Chips
- Pizza crust
- Beef jerky
- Buffalo wings
- Jolly Ranchers
Other foods, which have a high concentration of sugar and adhere to the teeth (as well as the brackets and wires) are commonly known as sticky foods. Such foods to avoid are:
- Gum ( even sugar free)
- Licorice
- Sugar Babies
- Milk Duds
- Swedish Fish
- Tootsie Rolls
- Caramels
- Starburst
- Now n’ Laters
Minimizing intake of other sugary foods, such as cake, ice cream, cookies, pies and candy, will not only keep you from having an orthodontic emergency, but will ultimately keep your teeth and gums healthy for a lifetime. It is also recommended that soda, sweetened tea, Gatorade, Kool-Aid or other drinks with sugar should be consumed minimally, if not at all.
It is our desire to see you have a beautiful and HEALTHY smile, which can only be achieved by excellent oral hygiene habits, which includes but is not limited to avoiding such foods.
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