Getting braces is a step towards getting that smile you has always dreamed of. However, having braces will change certain aspects of your lifestyle. Now, there are certain foods that you shouldn’t eat as they could either damage your braces, or affect the look of your smile once the braces are removed. What follows is a list of the top five types of food to avoid if you have braces.
1. Hard Foods
There are a lot of things that are included in this category and the main reason why is that they can cause breaking of the brackets or wires of your braces. Hard foods include most crisp raw vegetables such as celery or carrots. Hand fruits should also not be eaten whole. Apples, pears, etc., should be cut cut into wedges or chunks before being eaten. Hard candies should also be avoided, as should hard nuts.
2. Chewy Candies and Gum
Not only are these things typically loaded with sugar, the chewiness puts you at risk of damaging the wires or brackets of your braces.
3. High Acid Foods and Beverages
Food and drinks with high acid levels in them, such as citrus fruits and soda, can not only damage enamel, they can lead to the discoloration of your teeth. The tooth under the bracket of your braces will not be affected, meaning you could end up with noticeable color differences in your teeth once your braces are removed.
4. Excessive Sugar
These foods should be avoided for the same reason as above. If you do consume something with a lot of sugar in it, be sure to brush your teeth and clean your braces as soon as possible after eating.
5. Meat on Bones
While ribs and chicken wings are delightful, eating them with braces can pose a significant risk of damaging the brackets, wires, or other “gear” in your mouth. While you have braces choose boneless wings and either avoid meat on the bone or cut the meat from the bone before eating it.
As tasty as these foods are, it is worth it to avoid them the short time you have braces. This will help to ensure that you get the most out of your orthodontic work and you will have plenty of time to enjoy things like corn on the cob once you have a fantastic smile. Avoiding these foods will also save embarrassing stains or uncomfortable trips to the orthodontist as a result of breakages.
Author Bio:
Andy is currently promoting Dentist in Copperas Cove and is an expert with dental software from information he found on http://www.dentrix.com. When he is not working he enjoys target shooting in the outdoors.
