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How will my diet be affected by braces?
Your diet directly affects the health of the supporting gum and bone tissues around your teeth. If you are careful about the type of food you select and the way you eat your food, your teeth and gums will stay healthy throughout treatment, and your orthodontic appliances will remain in good working condition.
I . DIFFERENT FOODS AFFECT DIFFERENT TYPES OF BRACES
Braces are typically bonded to the surface of your teeth. Braces may shear off when biting into hard food. In general, try not to bite into any food with your front teeth. Cut or tear food into small pieces, then chew on the back teeth.
On occasion, we place bands on your back teeth that go all the way around each tooth. Bands are more resistant to shear than the braces on the front teeth. However, sticky foods may pull at the bands and eventually break the cement seal. Once the cement seal is broken, plaque begins to leak in and cause decay.
A. HARD AND CRUNCHY FOODS
Unfortunately, most of what we normally think of as “healthy food” is very hard on braces. Since it is very important to maintain a healthy diet, fresh fruits and vegetables that are hard and crunchy should be either cut into small bite-sized pieces or cooked until tender.
Examples:
- Apples, carrots, celery, broccoli, etc – Cut into bite sized pieces and chew with the back teeth.
- Corn – should be cut off the cob
- Meat – should be cut off the bone
B. STICKY FOODS
Any food that sticks and pulls at the teeth or creates suction between the teeth should be avoided. These types of foods usually have a high sugar content as well. Sugary foods that become lodged between the teeth and the braces will increase the risk of cavity formation.
Foods to Avoid:
- Ice
- Caramels
- Hard candy
- Toffee
- Hard crusted bread
- Taffy
- Hard pretzels
- Now and Laters, etc.
- Popcorn
- Sugary gum
II. WHAT ABOUT GUM?
Most gum isn’t sticky enough to actually pull braces off of teeth. However, frequent or extended periods of gum chewing does put orthodontic appliances through a lot of wear and tear. Eventually, dental cement may begin to wear thin and wash away, leaving areas for plaque to seep in and cause decay and cavities. So, if you must have gum, keep the chewing period very short – only a few minutes at a time.
III. TIP FOR DEALING WITH SORE TEETH
You’ll notice that when you come in for adjustments, your braces will feel tight for several hours. This tightness is usually followed by a period of a few days when your teeth may feel sore. Believe it or not, it’s actually a good idea to chew gum immediately after an appointment, or whenever your wires feel especially tight. Why? Chewing will result in an increase in blood circulation around the roots of the teeth, thereby helping to clear out the biochemicals that are associated with pain. Keep the gum chewing period to a minimum, and by all means, chew only sugarless gum.
REMEMBER:
- Loose or broken braces prolong treatment time. If the teeth are not attached properly to the wires, they are not under control and may move in the opposite direction than what was planned.
- Plaque can seep under loose braces where it impossible to clean. This trapped plaque causes rapid tooth decay and cavities.
- Sugar leads to an increase in the acidity of plaque, therefore promoting the formation of “white spots” (decalcification or early cavities). The longer the sugar exposure, the higher the risk of forming cavities and permanent discoloration of the teeth.
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