Download FOODS TO AVOID WHEN WEARING BRACES

FOODS TO AVOID WHEN WEARING BRACES
No sticky, chewy foods like caramel, taffy, gummy worms,
Starburst, Skittles, Snickers, Nerds Rope, etc. Enjoy candy like
Hershey bars, M&M's (without peanuts), Reese's Peanut butter Cups,
anything soft. Sticky bubble gum is not allowed; however sugar free
gum like Orbit or Trident is OK!
Stay away from hard, crunchy foods like peanuts, sunflower seeds, walnuts, cashews,
pecans, hard cereals (Honeybunches of Oats, Captain Crunch, etc.) Enjoy ice cream without
nuts. Be careful eating the hard, outer crusts of pizza.
Never eat popcorn kernels. The kernels can give you a serious gum
infection and break off brackets. You can still enjoy the fluffy popcorn!
Ice is definitely orthodontic enemy #1. Ice is very bad to bite on with or
without braces.
No hard candy. The temptation to bite down is too great and the sugar
content is too high.
Remember the "O" rule: When eating potato chips that end in "O"
(Cheetos, Freetos, Doritos, nachos) the chip is too hard. Enjoy chips like Lays
or Pringles. No pretzels. No hard tacos, enjoy soft tacos instead.
Take all meats off the bone. Braces may break if you bite into bone. Remove corn from the
cob before you eat.
Never open packages with your teeth. Don't bite on fingernails, pens, or pencils.
Cut all raw fruits and vegetables into small bite size pieces. Never bit
into apples with your front teeth.
Just because a food is not on the list does not mean it is ok. Common sense will allow you to
make the right decisions. Remember, when in doubt it is better to do without!