Do you wear braces? Here are 4 food items you should avoid

While braces can help align your teeth, they come with a do’s and don’t’s list.

Regular brushing and eating soft foods can keep your braces healthy, there are certain foods that should be avoided at all costs.

Eating the foods below can break the alignment of your braces and, in the worst cases, even break them.

Here are some foods that you should avoid eating while wearing braces:

Crunchy food: Popcorn and ice
Foods like popcorn and ice can loosen your braces, leading to food getting stuck between them. They are difficult to chew and, therefore, can also affect the alignment of the brackets. It is best to eat softer foods while you are wearing braces. Foods like yogurt, soup, and lentils can be consumed easily during this time.

Sticky foods: Gum and caramel
Chewing gum is probably braces’ worst enemy as it can get stuck between the brackets and you can have trouble getting small bits of it out of your mouth. On the other hand, caramel is too sticky, too chewy, and can linger on your teeth. The presence of braces can make it difficult to remove, which can lead to tooth decay. You can eat moist desserts if you crave sweets, as they are not sticky and can be easily chewed.

Hard foods: Hard candies and nuts
Likewise, hard candy and nuts can break the alignment of your braces, which can disrupt their purpose. Biting on candy can also break braces, which can hurt your mouth in the process. So you should stay away from such foods during this time and eat only softer foods like pasta, cooked vegetables and even eggs.

Food that you have to bite into: Apples and carrots
Foods that require direct bite, such as apples, carrots, and pears are big ‘No’s for braces wearers. Directly biting into these fruits can harm your two front teeth and can also affect your upper braces. You can eat softer foods like bananas, strawberries, and oranges, only after cutting them into small pieces.