Braces are attached to your teeth with special orthodontic adhesive which will normally withstand the force of eating. However, eating certain foods can dislodge braces or bend or break wires. To prevent this from happening, try to avoid the following types of foods:
- Hard foods such as nuts, hard candy, corn chips and pizza crust
- Chewing ice cubes, pencils, pen caps and fingernails
- Whole apples, raw carrots or celery must be cut into small pieces
- Chewy foods such as gum, caramels and thick bread crusts (can bend and distort wires and loosen the braces)
- Popcorn (can become lodged beneath the braces and cause an infection in the gum tissue and can shear or break brackets, as well as bend or dislodge wires)
Protecting teeth and gums