Food & Braces

Never, ever! Ice and other cold foods may crack the cement that holds your braces together. Even sucking on ice is out of the question since the temptation to bite it may become overwhelming.

Like the burnt crust of pizza, it may bend wires or dislodge brackets.

CHIPS! All chips… If it makes a loud crunch or snap when you bite it, avoid it like the plague.

Anything hard or chewy poses a threat to your appliances. If you break them, you suffer the consequences. Lollipops are out of the question- especially Tootsie pops. Even if you had enough self-control to lick a tootsie pop without ever biting it, it’s unlikely that self-control will keep you from eating the chewy center.

Never eat nuts. The shells of popcorn kernels tend to lodge themselves between braces and gums, which can cause a serious infection.

If you must have ribs, go for tender baby backs and be extremely careful.

Many fruits and vegetables are too hard to be eaten raw. Cook them first, or cut them into more manageable, bite-sized pieces.

This may sound funny, but next time you take an exam look around the room at how many writing utensils are being chewed on. It only takes one bite to knock your braces off.