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| NO-NO-LIST: Keeping Your Braces In Shape |
| By Michael Echols, DDS |
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A LIST OF "TYPES" OF THINGS YOU MAY NOT EAT, CHEW, OR ANYTHING!
THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF THE "KINDS" OF THINGS TO AVOID, SO YOU DON'T HARM YOUR BRACES. JUST BECAUSE IT ISN'T ON THE LIST, DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD EAT IT. THINK!!!
ICE. . . A thousand times no! Do not chew in any form or manner. Eating Ice will crack the cement which bonds the braces to the teeth. Don't even suck on it, you might weaken and bite down. This is the worst enemy of the braces. It only takes one single little bite...crack!
HARD PIZZA CRUST EDGE . . . It's the outside edge and not the pizza itself we worry about. Yes, you must eat pizza, but avoid the hard burnt edge. The same goes for any hard bread.
HARD PRETZELS, BAGELS, HARD BREAD. . .It bends the wire and knocks off the brackets.
DORITOS, HARD TACOS, TOSTITOS, CHEETOS, FRITOS AND THE LIKE. . . They form a hard ball and break the cement. If it makes a snap sound when you bite it...avoid it!
ANY HARD CANDY, CARAMEL, JU-JU BEANS, HARD BUBBLE GUM, NOW-N-LATERS, GUMMY BEARS, JAW BREAKERS... Anything that hard is going to cause damage. You eat it, and you pay. There are too many types of junk food to list them all. Think before you eat it!
BEEF JERKY, SLIM JIMS BEEF JERKY, SLIM JIMS . . . Tough as nails. Avoid anything like these.
HARD COOKIES LIKE OREOS, GINGER SNAPS. . . It's junk food anyway, but if you soften it up with a little milk...well maybe.
SUCKERS, M&M'S, NUTS, RIBS. . .No nuts at all, but maybe ribs if you're careful.
PENS AND PENCILS. . . You laugh, but look around the room during class or the office and see how many people gnaw on their pens. Favorite exam food. Be careful, it only takes one bite to knock'em off!
POPCORN. . .If the little shells get between your braces and the gum, they don't come out on their own and you get an infection between the gum and the root of the tooth. This can be very serious!
RAW CARROTS, APPLES. . . Cook'em, but don't eat'em raw. Raw stuff is too hard.
Eating these types of foods will knock off the braces and bend the wires. You may not discover the loose bracket until the next day after you eat ice or one of these items, but the braces don't just "fall" off! Every loose brace extends your treatment time at least two months. Think!
Getting Started
If you are considering an orthodontic treatment, consult an orthodontist about the process, risks, recovery time and costs. For confidential, personalized information at no cost or obligation, use the Find A Specialist tool to find an orthodontist near you. It’s your first step to looking and feeling better today!
Related Articles:
Foods to Avoid During Orthodontic Treatment (AUDIO)
Dental and Orthodontic Emergencies (AUDIO)
First Aid for Braces
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