Learning & Essentials
Foods to Avoid
Broken brackets can delay treatment, and many occur when patients eat foods that damage brackets or wires.
- Five food groups
- What to eat instead
- Aventura, Florida
Five groups, and
why each one bites
These guidelines are designed to protect your brackets, wires, and enamel. Avoiding foods that can damage your braces helps keep treatment on track.
Group 01
Sticky and chewy
These pull. A chew that resists your teeth transfers that force straight to the bracket glued to the front of them, and brackets come off. Sticky sugar also lodges around the wire where a brush cannot reach it.
- Caramel
- Taffy
- Gummy candies
- Chewy candy bars
- Licorice
- Fruit roll-ups
- Toffee and caramel apples
Group 02
Hard and crunchy
These snap. Biting something harder than the bracket is what bends wires and cracks ceramic — and an unplanned repair visit adds time to your treatment.
- Popcorn (and unpopped kernels)
- Nuts
- Hard candies
- Ice cubes
- Hard pretzels
- Corn chips
- Raw carrots
- Whole apples
Group 03
Sugary foods and drinks
Braces give sugar somewhere to sit. Decay around a bracket leaves a permanent white mark on the tooth that is still there the day the braces come off, which is a poor reward for two years of work.
- Sugary cereals
- Caramel, toffee, and nougat fillings
- Syrups and honey
- Soft drinks
- Ice cream with nuts or hard pieces
- Sweetened yogurt
- Jams and jellies
Group 04
Tough to bite into
The problem is the bite, not the food. Tearing into something with your front teeth levers on the brackets there. Most of these are fine once cut into pieces and chewed at the back.
- Tough cuts of meat
- Hard pizza crusts
- Bagels
- Crusty bread
- Raw broccoli and celery
- Thick or chewy sandwiches
Group 05
Acidic foods and drinks
Acid softens enamel, and enamel around a bracket is already harder to clean. Sipping an acidic drink through the day keeps the teeth under attack for hours rather than minutes.
- Soda and carbonated drinks
- Energy drinks
- Lemonade
- Citrus fruits in large quantities
- Vinegar-based dressings
- Ketchup and salsa
What to eat
instead
The first week after braces go on, and the few days after each adjustment, are when teeth feel tender. These are the easy choices.
- Soft breads, pasta, rice, and cooked grains
- Yogurt, cheese, milk, and other soft dairy products
- Eggs, fish, ground meats, and slow-cooked meats
- Cooked vegetables and raw vegetables cut into small pieces
- Soft fruits, such as bananas, berries, and melon; sliced apples and pears
- Choose water as your everyday drink, especially after eating or drinking something sweet
If something does break: it is not an emergency, but do not leave it. Call us on (305) 466-2809 so we can get you in — a loose bracket that waits until the next scheduled visit is a bracket that has stopped moving that tooth. If a wire end is catching, orthodontic wax over it will hold you until you are seen.