Food lists for braces

Right after your braces have been placed, soft foods will be your best bet. Avoid any tough, raw, or hard foods such as certain meats, vegetables, and breads. It’ll be hard to get used to, but your braces will now need to be factored into your decision when selecting foods to eat!

We’ve made a handy list for you to reference until you get a good idea of what foods can harm your dental braces:

Foods to Avoid

• Hard foods such as nuts, hard breads, chips, hard candies, and raw vegetables like carrots can damage, weaken, or break your brackets and wires.
• Foods that can form a hard ball on your braces, such as taco shells and Doritos.
• Tough meats that require a lot of chewing, like beef jerky – these can loosen your brackets from your teeth.
• Sticky foods such as gum, caramel candies, licorice, jelly beans, and Tootsie Rolls can pull off the brackets as well get caught between wires.
• Any bad habits, like nail biting or chewing on pen lids can cause damage and should be avoided.
• Chewing ice is the number one way to damage dental braces – don’t’ do it!

We know this list seems long and daunting and a little depressing. But don’t worry! There are still lots of delicious food you eat all you want during orthodontic treatment!

Foods You Can Eat

• Breads – sliced bread, biscuits, tortillas, muffins
• Dairy - pudding, yogurt, ice cream, soft cheeses
• Meats/poultry – lunch meats, soft chicken, meatloaf
• Grains – pasta, noodles, rice
• Seafood - tuna, crab, salmon – just steer clear of bones
• Vegetables – yams, peas, mashed potatoes, any steamed veggies
• Fruits – bananas, applesauce, pears, oranges