We know that one of the least fun aspects of orthodontic treatment is the banned foods list. No more movie popcorn, no more chewing gum, tootsie rolls, crust, nuts, etc. But we don’t just ban these foods to be challenging. These hard and chewy foods pose a serious threat to the complex orthodontic appliances that are in place working to straighten a patient’s smile.

All it takes is one poorly angled bite on something hard or pulling back off of something sticky to pop a bracket or even an attachment off a tooth. Every time that happens, it pushes back the eagerly-awaited Deband Day. This is why we urge our patients to avoid popcorn, nuts, ice, chewing gum, hard candy, gummy candy, pizza crust, pita chips, bagels and other hard rolls, whole fruits like apples, hard crackers, pretzels, and chips.

Those are the ones that are actively risky to braces, but others contribute to problems too, like anything with a lot of sugar in it. It’s harder to keep plaque at bay with braces and other fixed appliances on, and eating or drinking large amounts of sugar can lead to bleached patches around the fixed orthodontic appliances and permanent stains after the braces come off. That is why we recommend to cut out most of the sugar during your orthodontic treatment and always promote impeccable oral hygiene.

Patients can swap puffcorn for popcorn, pudding for caramel, tortilla chips for pita bread, and slice up their apples or carrots. If a bracket does come loose, come see us! At Orchard of Smiles Orthodontics we are always rooting for our patients and we are here to support you every step along your orthodontic smile blossoming journey!