What to Chew

After eating always check your braces for any loose or broken appliances. If you find any problems, please give our office a call so that we can make any needed adjustments.

Eating these foods will loosen your braces, but you may not discover the problem until hours or days later. Loose bands, broken wires and detached brackets cause a longer treatment time.

• Ice- Chewing on ice will totally destroy your braces
• Caramel Candy
• Gum
• Suckers
• Jolly Ranchers
• Starburst
• Beef Jerky
• Slim Jims Tough as nails
• Nuts No nuts of any kind
• Pens and Pencils Favorite exam time food- breaks everything!
• Most Candy Bars
• Popcorn Kernels They loosen the bands and get stuck in your gums

• Small pieces chewed with the back teeth are okay
• Pizza Crust The hard crust bends wires
• Hard Pretzels Bends wires, loosens bands, knocks off brackets
• Doritos, Tostitos, Cheetos, Fritos, and the like Will form a hard ball and break your braces

Hard Rolls & Bagels Bends the wires and knocks off brackets
Corn on the Cob Just cut corn off the cob
Ribs Knocks off braces
Raw Carrots, Apples Cut into small pieces and enjoy

When following a nutritious diet, these items can be considered for special treats! Always remember to brush after enjoying these items.

• Potato Chips
• Onion Rings Yumm-o
• Cheese Puffs Yum, yum
• Kit Kat Delicious cookie crunch
• Hull-less Corn Puffs
• French Fries Who doesn’t love fries?
• Plain M&Ms Melts in your mouth
• Hershey Bars All time favorite
• Milky Way, 3 Musketeers, Cadbury Caramellos, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
• Brownies Without nuts
• Cake Moist & tasty
• Ice Cream/Sundaes Without nuts
• Pie Without nuts
• Milkshakes/Smoothies Without nuts
• Soft Cookies So many to choose from

Click the buttons here for instructions on what foods to eat and what foods to avoid during orthodontic treatment.