The main food groups to avoid are:
hard, sticky, chewy, brittle and foods high in sugar.

Common sense will help guide you in what to avoid. Hard and brittle foods can break or damage wires and brackets. Sticky and chewy foods can get caught between brackets and wires causing damage to the braces. Minimize sugary foods; they cause tooth decay and decalcification. Nail biting, pencil and pen chewing and chewing on foreign objects must also be avoided.

Examples of Sticky Foods to Avoid:

            * Gum (sugar-free or regular)
            * Tootsie Rolls
            * Gummy worms, bears, etc.
            * Caramel
            * Starburst
            * Jolly Ranchers
            * Snickers

Examples of Hard Foods to Avoid:

            * Ice
            * Nuts
            * Hard chips (Doritos, Nachos, Pretzels)
            * Hard taco shells
            * French bread, rolls, hard pizza crust
            * Bagels
            * Apples & carrots (unless cut into small pieces)

Minimize Sugary Foods like:

            * Cake
            * Ice Cream
            * Cookies
            * Pie
            * Candy

Only Once a Day:

            * Soda
            * Kool-Aid
            * Gatorade
            * Sweetened tea
            * Drinks with sugar

It's important to regularly check your braces for bent or loose wires and brackets. In the event of a loose/broken wire or brackets, please call our office to schedule an appointment for repair. Do not wait until your next appointment to inform us of something that is loose or broken!