Foods to Avoid with Braces
Examples of Sticky Foods to Avoid with Braces:
- Gum: follow your orthodontist’s instructions for your appliance
- Licorice
- Sugar Daddies
- Toffee
- Tootsie Rolls
- Caramels
- Starburst
Examples of Hard Foods to Avoid:
- Ice
- Nuts
- Hard taco shells
- French bread crust/rolls
- Corn on the cob — cut the kernels off before eating
- Apples and carrots (unless cut into small pieces)
- Bagels
- Chips
- Jolly Ranchers
- Pizza crust
- Uncooked carrots (unless cut)
Cut suitable foods into small pieces or choose softer alternatives. Avoid items that remain hard, sticky or difficult to chew without damaging your braces.
Minimize Sugary Foods like:
- Cake
- Ice Cream
- Cookies
- Pie
- Candy
Limit sugary and acidic drinks
- Soda
- Sweetened tea
- Gatorade
- Kool-Aid
- Drinks with sugar
Choose water for routine drinking. Frequent sipping of sugary or acidic drinks can harm teeth; follow your dental team’s advice about diet and cleaning.
SmileMaker Orthodontics, Dr. Jay Burton, a member of the American Association of Orthodontists and board certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. He takes great pride in helping people achieve a beautiful smile in Hendersonville, Madison, Goodlettsville and Nashville, TN. You can contact our office at (615) 865-6551 or email us at braces@smilemaker.com.
About the older handout below: Follow your orthodontist’s individual instructions about food, gum and appliance repairs. Call 615-865-6551 before attempting to cut a wire. See our updated orthodontic emergency guidance for next steps.