What should you not eat if you wear braces? 4 “forbidden” food groups

Braces have been used in orthodontic treatment for decades, but there are still a lot of controversial and not fully understood points. For example, what can and cannot be eaten while wearing braces?

orthodontist, expert of the dental care company EMRA

Tells how to properly care for braces and what foods are best to avoid.

What foods you should not eat if you have braces

The first three to five days are especially important. After installing a bracket system, you may feel discomfort, pain, sensitivity, a feeling of “wobbly” teeth. But this is only because everything is new to the body and the adaptation process is taking place. That’s why we recommend to exclude hard food from your diet in the first few days. Otherwise, you may tear the ligature, detach the brace or damage the arch.

During this time, pay attention to smoothies, cream soups, yogurt, purees – soft and liquid food. This way you will significantly reduce pain sensations.

After a while (usually two to five days), your teeth will get used to the new position and sensitivity will decrease. You will be able to eat all foods except:

• hard and tough (apples, certain types of sweets, breadcrumbs, tough meats, nuts, etc.);
• stretchy sticky foods (toffee, marshmallow, chewing gum, etc.);
• small grains (raspberries, sesame seeds);
• colorful (colored sodas, strong coffee and tea, colorful fruits and vegetables, “colored” alcohol).

Read more about the products that affect the color of teeth in the material at the link.

It is also worth getting rid of bad habits, such as smoking and nail biting. Of course, many when wearing braces continue to smoke, drink coffee, eat the usual sweets included in the “forbidden” list. But you need to understand what can be dangerous not following the rules:

• the development of caries due to food residues and stuck small grains;
• damage to the bracket system;
• changes in the position of the arch and ligatures coming off;
• staining of the enamel;
• prolongation of the treatment period.

How to properly care for braces

Even in the absence of all of the above products in the diet due to the features of braces, problems can arise due to improper oral hygiene. How and what is the best way to brush your teeth while wearing braces?

Use foam during the day. It penetrates into hard-to-reach places and helps remove food debris. It’s convenient to take with you when you can’t use other hygiene products.

Make friends with the brush and monopouch. Use them immediately after brushing with a regular brush. It is especially important to clean the area between the teeth and the arches using vertical movements.

Pay attention to dental floss. You can use it to clean each tooth well (with circling motions) and the gaps between the teeth.

Use an irrigator. It’s not necessary, but many professionals recommend it for a more thorough oral cleaning.

Stick to your diet, get regular checkups with your doctor, and get the right care – then your teeth will be white, straight, and beautiful.

And lastly, a few more tips:

• Forget toothpicks, you’ll only traumatize your gums and damage your braces;
• grind hard foods in a blender, and something cut into small pieces;
• watch the temperature of food carefully: it should not be too cold or too hot, as the teeth are very sensitive during this period;
• take off the traction (elastics) before eating and do not forget to put them back on afterwards;
• be careful with sugar and acidic foods.

There is nothing complicated about caring for your teeth. The best treatment is prevention. Read about four non-obvious reasons to go to the dentist in the article at the link.