Orthodontic dental issues such as misaligned teeth and malocclusions can affect not only your smile but also your oral and overall health. These dental issues should not be overlooked because they bring about a lot of complications in the long run that could be avoided if you opt to undergo orthodontic treatment.
Several excellent orthodontic treatments are available at our dentists near you, and one prime form of orthodontic treatment we offer is dental braces in Pleasanton, CA.
Dental braces can be used to rectify severe orthodontic issues, and they are a sure way of guaranteeing a straighter and healthier smile. However, getting dental braces means you must make lifestyle changes, including what you eat.
Let’s take a look at why your daily diet will have to change when you get your braces fitted in and what foods can you not eat with braces
Why Is It Important to Avoid Certain Foods While Wearing Braces?
The aim of you opting to get braces fitted in by our Pleasanton family dentist is to ensure that your smile and oral health are transformed at the end of your treatment. To realize this goal, you must adhere to guidelines on handling the braces during your treatment.
One of the critical guidelines you will have to adhere to is watching what you eat. Braces employ a bracket and wire system to exert a certain force that will shift the misaligned teeth into their correct positions.
Certain foods can force the wires and brackets to become detached and damaged, affecting your treatment plan’s progress.
This is why it is fundamental to steer clear of any foods that can damage your braces or affect the progress of your orthodontic treatment.
Dentists’ Top 10 Foods to Avoid While Wearing Braces
1. Popcorn
Popcorn is one of the foods you should avoid when you get braces. This is because the kernels tend to get stuck or lodged between teeth, which can be very difficult to remove if you have braces.
The popcorn kernels might force our dentist to remove your braces to get the lodged kernels out, which will interfere with your treatment schedule.
2. Hard candy
Candy is bad for your teeth and oral health, period. However, when you have braces on, you have to avoid hard candy because it promotes tooth decay and because biting down on it can cause the brackets and wires within the braces to become bent or broken.
3. Potato chips
These can be quite a treat but a nightmare if you have braces. They are packed with starch; apart from this, potato chips can get stuck between teeth. It is a headache to remove these lodged pieces while having braces. This means that the lodged pieces could be stuck for a while, allowing cavities and tooth decay to develop.
4. Beef jerky
Beef jerky is tough, and you must use a lot of force when eating it. This force you apply to chew beef jerky can break or bend your braces. This is why you should refrain from eating jerky during your orthodontic treatment
5. Sticky candy
Sticky candies like caramels and toffees are bad for your oral health and can damage your braces. Sticky candy will get stuck within the brackets and wires of the braces encouraging tooth decay and gum irritation.
6. Nuts
Nuts like popcorn kernels tend to get stuck between your teeth and gums, and usually, it can be easier to try and get the stuck bits out, but with braces, our Pleasanton family dentist may have to take your braces off to get the stuck bits out.
7. Corn on the cob
When wearing braces, steer clear of foods that require you to bite into using your front teeth. Corn on a cob falls into this category next to apples and pears. These foods can cause your braces to bend out of shape. The trick is to try and cut down this food into smaller and more manageable pieces.
8. Tough meat
Tough steak and meat also fall into this list. This is because it will require excessive chewing that can damage the bands of the braces at the back of your mouth
9. Ice
Some people have a habit of biting into ice cubes, and this can damage the braces
10. Bagels
Bagels are a breakfast favorite; however, they are known to break braces like pizza crusts. You will have to rethink your breakfast menu when you get your braces.
How to Enjoy Your Favorite Foods While Wearing Braces
If you want to eat some of your favorite food with braces, you must change how you consume it. For instance, cut out the tough parts of pizza or cook meat for longer to ensure it’s tender. Also, you can cut crunchy fruits and vegetables into bite-sized portions that are easier to chew.
This will make your favorite food brace friendly.
Contact us at Elite Dental Implants and Orthodontics for your customized orthodontic treatment plan.