Although your new, glowing smile makes braces worth all the pain and suffering, there are definitely some sacrifices your taste buds have to make. Here are the top foods to avoid with braces.
10 Foods to Avoid with Braces
Updated on Jan. 05, 2022
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Getting braces is painful. And to add insult to injury, you’re forbidden to eat certain foods for the duration of the treatment! These are the most common meals and ingredients you should avoid.
Just got braces? Here are some soft foods you can eat during those rough first few days.
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Chewing gum
Rule #1: No chewing gum. Not only could it potentially get stuck to those shiny dental railroad tracks, but it can also warp the wires. If you simply must have minty-fresh breath, try these homemade candies instead.
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Popcorn
You’ll have to pick a new food to devour during movies—popcorn wreaks havoc on braces. The kernels have the potential to break wires and brackets, and the pesky husks tend to get firmly wedged between your teeth. By the way, do you know the difference between white and yellow kernels?
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Corn on the cob
Forget about eating corn the fun, messy way. While you can still enjoy fresh corn, you’ll have to cut it off the cob and use it in one of these tasty recipes instead.
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Chewy breads
Breads that give your jaw a workout like bagels and pizza crust are not your friend if you have braces. If you’re absolutely desperate for a taste, you can tear them into small pieces and chew with your back teeth.
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Whole apples
While it isn’t a good idea to sink your teeth into an apple when you have braces, you can always cut some up and cook them down. They’re arguably better with loads of butter and sugar anyway.
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Nuts
Even if you’re nuts about nuts, you should avoid eating them while wearing braces—bent wires can really slow down the straightening process. Eat some homemade peanut butter instead.
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Chewy candies
Candies that are super sticky are a no-no, as they can easily pull the brackets right off your teeth. Save your taffy and caramels for that glorious day when those braces are removed. (You can celebrate with our best caramel recipes!)
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Raw vegetables
No matter how good they are for you, raw vegetables can cause a lot of problems with braces. Cook them down to soften them, or better yet, make some juice! Here’s a guide to get you started.
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Jerky
Jerky is hard enough to eat without braces, so just imagine the damage it can do to those brackets and wires! While you wait for those braces to come off, learn how to make jerky in the oven.
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Food Coloring
Some colored foods can dye your rubber braces bands—especially if you’ve chosen clear ones. So if you don’t want to get crazy with the band colors, stay away from red velvet cake for now. Psst! These are our best red velvet recipes.
