Eating

FOOD FOR ORTHODONTIC THOUGHT

NO-NO LIST

SiblingsFemale_2(Should be posted on your refrigerator door)

  • ICE – A thousand times NO. It will totally destroy your braces.
  • PIZZA CRUST – The hard crust bends wires.
  • HARD PRETZELS – Bends wires, loosen bands, knocks off brackets.
  • DORITOS, TACOS, CHEETOS, FRITOS, AND THE LIKE – This will form a hard ball and break your braces.
  • CARAMEL CANDY, BUBBLE GUM, FUN FRUIT, FRUIT ROLL UPS – Sticky goo which pulls off wires and feeds bacteria in your mouth.
  • HARD ROLLS, BAGELS, BONES – Bends the wire and knocks off brackets.
  • BEEF JERKY, SLIM JIMS – Tough as nails.
  • SUCKERS – You might weaken and bite.
  • NUTS – No nuts of any kind.
  • PENS, PENCILS – Favorite exam time food, breaks everything.
  • POPCORN – The little shells get between the gum and bands – hurts like crazy!!
  • RAW CARROTS, APPLES – Hard as rocks. Slice thin or avoid.
  • CORN ON THE COBB – Slice corn off the cob.
  • CEREALS – Any hard cereals. (i.e. Cheerios, or nut – like cereals) Flake cereals, i.e. Rice Krispies, are preferred.
  • BREATH MINTS or SOUR CANDIES – Any breath mints with sugar, especially Altoids, Certs, etc. If you need something for your breath, use Listerine Pocket Paks.
  • SOFT DRINKS – Sugar free only. AVOID: Apple, cranberry, grape juices, lemonade, Powerade, and Gatorade.
  • STRAW TOOTHPICKS, GUITAR PICKS – No chewing on straws, toothpicks, and the like!!

Eating these foods will loosen the braces, but you may not discover the problem until hours or days later…Surprise! Loosened bands, broken wires and detached brackets cause a longer treatment time.