No matter how old you are, getting braces takes some getting used to. Whether it’s your first time or you’re re-adjusting some work from your childhood, there are things you need to know about living with braces on your teeth.
Like knowing what you can and can’t eat with braces — and we’re making that clear for you, below.
Gum or Chewy Candy
We all love having fresh breath, but we can’t always brush our teeth right after a meal. So what do most people do? Pop in a stick of gum.
But if you have undergone braces in London by Cosmo Dental Centre, that gum can get stuck in between the wires and really gum up the works (no pun intended). You’re better off sticking to hard mints with low sugar content or brushing your teeth after meals when possible.
Are you a candy lover? Anything that you wouldn’t want to find melted in your pocket on a hot day is something to avoid when you have braces. That means everything from Twix bars to Starbursts.
If you really need a sweet treat, stick to chocolate you can easily bite into or hard candy – but only if you stick to sucking on it! Biting down on hard candy is a great way to pop the wires or brackets off your braces.
Popcorn
While the popped product itself isn’t a problem, we’ve all gotten that one rogue popcorn that looks fine but turns out to be mostly kernel. When you have braces, that rogue mostly-kernel popcorn could easily cause you a trip to the orthodontist.
Plus, there’s always those little bits of sharp kernel that seem to get stuck in between your teeth, or worse, right on the edge of your gums. Imagine trying to get that out under your braces — it would be a nightmare!
If you have to have some popcorn, try something that’s professionally popped, like Smart pop or SkinnyPop. Only eat the pieces at the top of the bag and don’t drink the crumbs -that’s where all those broken and gum-tearing little pieces will be!
Ice
If you’re an ice cruncher, this is probably not your first time being told you shouldn’t do it anymore. Crunching on ice is bad for your teeth without braces and it’s even worse for them with braces on!
The problem with crunching ice when you have braces is the same reason you don’t want to bite down on hard candy or a rogue popcorn kernel – the force from the hard piece of ice can force your wires to bend or a bracket to break.
Not only does that mean a trip to the dentist, but it will be painful for you as well. If you’re an ice-eater, now is a great time to break that habit!
Other Assorted Foods
While it can be frustrating to hear you can’t have some of your favorite foods, it’s important to remember that braces aren’t forever. The better you adhere to dentist recommendations, the shorter your time with braces will be! That means also avoiding
- Croutons
- Fruit
- Corn on the cob
- Pretzels
- Corn Chips
- Nuts
- Hard tacos
- Crudites
… and anything else you have to think twice about before biting into. Have more questions about what you can and can’t do with braces? Visit your dental clinic Guelph professional or anywhere near you.