For most situations, try common sense will tell you what to avoid. Hard foods, sticky foods and foods high in sugar must be avoided. Hard foods can break or damage wires and brackets. Sticky foods can get caught between brackets and wires. Minimize sugary foods; they cause tooth decay and related problems. Nail biting, pencil and pen chewing, and chewing on foreign objects should be avoided.
Examples of sticky foods:
- Gum (sugar-free or regular)
- Licorice
- Sugar Daddies
- Toffee
- Tootsie Rolls
- Caramels
- Starburst
- Beef Jerky
- Skittles
Examples of hard foods to avoid
- Ice
- Nuts
- Hard taco shells
- Bagels
- French bread crust/rolls
- Cut Corn off the cob
- Cut Ribs or Chicken off the bone
- Apples and carrots (unless cut into small pieces)
- Bagels
- Chips
- Jolly Ranchers
- Pizza crust
- Uncooked carrots (unless cut)
- Pens and pencils
- Meat on the bone (chicken wings and ribs)
Minimize sugary foods like:
- Cake
- Ice cream
- Cookies
- Pie
- Candy
Only once a day:
- Soda
- Sweetened tea
- Gatorade
- Kool-Aid
- Drinks with sugar
- Energy drinks