Foods to avoid when wearing braces
- Sticky caramel or toffee – this type of confectionary will inevitably become stuck in the components of your brace and make you more susceptible to tooth decay and bacteria.
- Hard sweets – these will damage the components of your brace.
- Popcorn – notoriously difficult to remove from teeth, you can image how hard it is to remove from a brace!
- Chewing gum – for similar reasons as the above popcorn, chewing gum can become easily lodged and as it is full of sugar, it will increases your chances of developing plaque and tartar.
Apply caution when consuming the following:
- Chewy breads (bagels and other dense breads).
- Corn on the cob.
- Apples and carrots – cut them into small pieces before consumption.
One of the best foods to enjoy whilst you’re wearing braces…. Cheese
Cheese – packed with calcium and minerals, cheese and indeed dairy are both tooth-friendly, promoting the ph levels in your mouth thus lowering your risk of tooth decay. The process of eating cheese also increases the amount of saliva in the mouth and contains the nutrients that render your tooth enamel stronger.Cheese is easy for your teeth to break down due to its soft consistency – yoghurt is also a good option.
How to look after my teeth whilst undergoing orthodontic treatment
You should take extra care of your teeth when you’re wearing braces, whether they are a fixed or removable type of appliance.
If you’ve been fitted with fixed metal braces, you should avoid any tough or sticky foods that are likely to damage the wires and brackets of your brace or become stuck between them, as this can jeopardise your treatment. If you’re appliance is removable, you have a little more flexibility with this as you can remove your braces to eat the foods you enjoy.
After your braces are removed, you are required to wear a retainer for a period of time afterwards to prevent your teeth from moving back into their previous position. You should never eat with your retainer in as this can damage it and as with braces, food can become stuck and bacteria have the perfect environment to multiply in the form of plaque and tartar. You should remove your retainer to clean it thoroughly using a toothbrush to reach the more difficult areas.
If you would like more information about the range of braces treatment we offer here at Park Lane, please do not hesitate to contact us.