Food & Braces

Don't worry, you'll be eating popcorn and snacking on potato chips again in no time!

During your orthodontic treatment, you will need to take special care to avoid any foods that could damage your new appliances.

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Foods You Can Eat

Dairy - soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks
Breads - soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins w/o nuts
Grains - pasta, soft cooked rice
Meats/poultry - soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats
Vegetables - mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans
Fruits - applesauce, bananas, fruit juice
Treats - ice cream w/o nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, soft cake

Foods to Avoid

Ice

Never, ever! Ice and other cold foods may crack the cement that holds your braces together. Even sucking on ice is out of the question since the temptation to bite it may become overwhelming.

Hard Pretzels, Bagels, & Hard Bread

Like the burnt crust of pizza, it may bend wires or dislodge brackets.

All Chips

CHIPS! All chips… If it makes a loud crunch or snap when you bite it, avoid it like the plague.

Hard or Chewy Candies & Lollipops

Anything hard or chewy poses a threat to your appliances. If you break them, you suffer the consequences. Lollipops are out of the question- especially Tootsie pops. Even if you had enough self-control to lick a tootsie pop without ever biting it, it’s unlikely that self-control will keep you from eating the chewy center.

Nuts & Popcorn

Never eat nuts. The shells of popcorn kernels tend to lodge themselves between braces and gums, which can cause a serious infection.

Ribs

If you must have ribs, go for tender baby backs and be extremely careful.

Raw Carrots & Apples

Many fruits and vegetables are too hard to be eaten raw. Cook them first, or cut them into more manageable, bite-sized pieces.

Pens & Pencils

This may sound funny, but next time you take an exam look around the room at how many writing utensils are being chewed on. It only takes one bite to knock your braces off.

Break a bracket?

Emergencies happen!

Every bent wire and loose bracket has the potential to extend your treatment by at least two months. If you've snapped off a bracket, call us today to get it re-cemented on asap.

Treatment

Why Hillam Orthodontics?

Board-certified Orthodontists
Offices in Idaho Falls, Driggs, & Afton
3 generations of doctors practicing since 1966

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If you have any questions, feel free to call our office or send us a message here.
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