Dental braces align teeth to improve the function of the mouth and jaw. Once the braces are on, taking care of the braces is mainly up to the person wearing the braces. Certain foods should be avoided or eaten in smaller bites to help prevent damage to the braces. If damage does occur to the braces or the tooth, make a visit to the orthodontist
Hard Foods
Avoid hard foods such as beef jerky, corn chips, popcorn, candies and cookies, ice cubes, nuts, hard fruits and vegetables or cut them into smaller pieces. Beef jerky should be avoided because of its tough, leathery texture that can cause damage to the braces. Corn chips can poke the gums or loosen the brackets of the braces. The hulls of the popcorn can get stuck between the tooth and the braces and are difficult to clean out. Avoid chewing ice cubes, eating nuts and hard candies. Continue eating fruits and vegetables, but cut into bite-sized pieces so that braces won't be damage.
Sticky Foods
Sticky foods can do a lot of damage to the wires and brackets of the braces, reports the website Parenthood. Sticky foods can cause the wires of the braces to bend and brackets to become unglued and move around. When this occurs, take a trip to the orthodontist, who will straighten the wires or re-glue the brackets. Some sticky foods that should be avoided include fruit roll ups, bubble gum, taffy, caramels, gummy bears or other gummy candies and licorice. In general, it is best to avoid all candy because the sugar can get between the braces and the tooth and cause tooth decay.
Large Food Items
Foods such as corn on the cob, bagels, hard rolls and large chunks of meat should be avoided or eaten in smaller pieces, reports Robert T. Kent and Associates of Carolina Braces Cosmetic Orthodontics. Cut corn off the cob to avoid getting corn hulls stuck in the wires and brackets of the braces. Bagels and other hard rolls should be cut up into bite-sized pieces to avoid bending the wires of the braces. Eating large pieces of meat such as a pork chop or steak should also be cut into smaller bite size pieces to avoid bending the wires.
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