At Cook Orthodontics, it’s our goal to help all our patients in and around Orange County and Rancho Santa Margarita achieve a straighter smile. We aim to accomplish this goal through our wide variety of high-quality orthodontic treatments, including our several different types of braces. If you happen to undergo treatment with braces, it’s important to know that some of your lifestyle choices may have to be changed in order to accommodate your braces, including having to watch what foods you eat. There are several different foods that you’ll have to avoid if you’re wearing braces.

Foods to Avoid

When you’re wearing braces, there are two types of foods that you’ll want to avoid. These are hard foods and sticky foods. Hard foods have the potential of breaking or damaging the brackets and wires of your braces. Sticky foods can get caught in your braces and cause the wires or brackets to become loose.

Examples of Hard Foods

  • Nuts
  • Pizza crust
  • Raw carrots
  • Apples
  • Chips
  • Taco shells
  • Bagels

Examples of Sticky Foods

  • Caramel
  • Starburst
  • Licorice
  • Taffy

Foods That You Can Eat

Just because you’ll have to avoid certain foods doesn’t mean that there aren’t still plenty of delicious foods that are safe for consumption. A short list of some of the foods that you’re allowed to eat while wearing braces include, but aren’t limited to, the following:

  • Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.)
  • Eggs
  • Soft fruits (oranges, kiwis, tangerines, etc.)
  • Soft meats (lunch meat, meatloaf, seafood, etc.)
  • Applesauce
  • Soft bread and grains
  • Sugar-free gum

Contact Your Orange County and Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Orthodontist!

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We at Cook Orthodontics are glad to help you with any of your concerns. If you’d like to schedule an appointment with us, feel free to give us a call at (949) 589-7820. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you attain a straighter smile!