Taking care of your braces will help keep your teeth straightening plan on track. There are certain foods to avoid with braces, such as sticky and hard ones. Still, there’s no need to stress too much about it; for example, there are ways to eat hard foods, such as cutting them into bite-size pieces.

Looking after your braces also involves having good hygiene. It will help you avoid cavities and discoloration of teeth along with the braces.

We’ve put together a list of the foods you should and not eat with braces. But first, let’s take a look at why you need to avoid certain foods.

Why Avoid Certain Foods?

Braces are sensitive to damage, so it’s often advisable to ignore certain foods. There are many safe foods that you can eat while wearing braces. If it is your first time wearing braces, you’ll learn that you will cut off some of your favorite foods. Applying too much pressure to your braces will cause damage and trigger sensitivity.

There’s no need to stress over what foods to avoid with braces. We prepared a list for you.

Foods to Avoid

HARD FOODS
Hard foods require that you use your front teeth to bite. For example, if you are eating corn, you’ll have to use your biting teeth. Others need intense chewing, which is unsafe for your braces. You’ll need to floss or brush your teeth to remove food particles that get stuck in your braces.

Hard foods you should avoid are:

• Ice
• Nuts
• Popcorn
• Crust

Remember to avoid applying unnecessary pressure on your braces. Maintain hygiene by removing the food particles that stick on your braces.

STICKY FOODS
Sticky foods are bad for your braces and teeth since they entangle in your braces, giving you a lot of work trying to clean.

Examples of sticky foods are:

• Licorice
• Gummy bears
• Caramels
• Bubble gum
• Taffy
• Maple syrup
• Peanut butter

CRUNCHY FOODS
Crunchy foods are obstructive. They will stick in your braces, leading to tooth decay, discomfort or damage. Crunch foods knock off brackets, loosen bands, or bend the wires.

Examples of crunchy foods you should avoid are:

• Broccoli
• Raw carrots
• Crunchy veggies
• Popcorn
• Nuts
• Pretzels
• Corn chips

CHEWY FOODS
Chewy foods make it difficult for you to eat with braces on.

Examples are:

• Bagels
• Pizza crust
• Beef jerky
• Steak

When you find chewy foods, try cutting them into small pieces. You’ll pull through easy rather than opting to grind the food down with your teeth. Also, avoid chewing gum.

SUGARY FOODS
Avoid foods with sugar because it is unhealthy for your teeth. Some sugary foods like candy are tempting. Chewing candy can damage the wires and brackets on your braces. Avoid hard candy when you can because you’ll have to chew or bite. Sugar leads to plaque build-up, which causes cavities, gum disease, staining, and bad breath.

Better Options

It is normal to get advice to eat soft foods during your first week of getting braces. You should follow the same trend to have an eating habit that protects the wires and brackets on the braces. Eat the right foods to reduce the risk of damage and discomfort.

If you don’t know where to get started, here’s what we recommend.

TENDER PROTEINS
Having braces should not prevent you from having proteins in your diet. Cook your proteins to tenderness. Soft foods ensure that it is easy to chew. Plant-based proteins are more tender when cooked and baked to make them tender. For example, lentils or beans. You can also get tender meat slices from the grocery store.

VEGETABLES & FRUITS
Some vegetables and fruits are soft and easy to eat. Others are crunchy. When eating crunchy vegetables or fruits, cutting them to bite-size makes them easy to chew and swallow. It will put less pressure on the braces, which is safe to avoid damage and discomfort.

DAIRY FOODS
Dairy foods are smooth solids or liquids, like;

• Smoothies
• Yogurt
• Cheese

SOUPS & HEARTY FOODS
They include stews and soup. Soft and hearty foods are comfortable for your meal plan. An example is chicken soup. It is easy to make, or you can buy a takeaway. It has nutrients to help strengthen your bones and teeth.

Final Thoughts

Avoiding certain foods is a preventive measure to avoid breaking your braces and interrupting your teeth straightening plan. Examples of foods to avoid with braces include crunchy ones like almonds, walnuts, cashews, and peanuts. They get stuck in your braces and might lead to damage from pressure when chewing.