\u00a0The goals of braces are simple: give wearers straight teeth and a terrific smile. To reach this end, however, wearers must hold up their end of the bargain by doing more than brushing and flossing regularly. Not to spoil your appetite, but some foods can loosen or break braces and should be scratched from your menu\u2014at least until the braces come off.<\/div>\n
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Here are your braces\u2019 biggest enemies:<\/p>\n
\n- Apples:\u00a0<\/strong>Don\u2019t bite into a whole one! Cut it into thin wedges first.<\/li>\n
- Bagels and hard rolls:\u00a0<\/strong>Convicted culprits of bending wires and loosening brackets.<\/li>\n
- Beef jerky:\u00a0<\/strong>Your braces don\u2019t stand a chance against this leathery food.<\/li>\n
- Bubble gum:<\/strong>\u00a0Trust us, there\u2019s nothing worse than spending hours picking gum from your braces.<\/li>\n
- Candy canes or suckers:<\/strong>\u00a0You might weaken and take a bite!<\/li>\n
- Caramels and chewy candies:\u00a0<\/strong>And you thought bubble gum was messy.<\/li>\n
- Chicken wings:\u00a0<\/strong>You can enjoy these if you first cut the meat off the bone.<\/li>\n
- Corn chips:<\/strong>\u00a0Anything that crunches when you bite it is bad news for braces.<\/li>\n
- Corn on the cob:<\/strong>\u00a0If you must, remove the kernels from the cob with a knife, then enjoy!
\n<\/strong><\/li>\n- Fingernails:\u00a0<\/strong>Now\u2019s the perfect time to kick that bad habit.<\/li>\n
- Fruit Roll-Ups:\u00a0<\/strong>See bubble gum.<\/li>\n
- Gummi anything: See bubble gum.<\/strong><\/li>\n
- Hard candies:\u00a0<\/strong>Can loosen wires and dislodge brackets.<\/li>\n
- Hard cookies:<\/strong>\u00a0Good news: You can have these if you soften them with milk.<\/li>\n
- Ice cubes:\u00a0<\/strong>No crunching!<\/li>\n
- Nuts:<\/strong>\u00a0All varieties\u2014including peanuts, cashews and almonds\u2014are off limits.<\/li>\n
- Pears:\u00a0<\/strong>Just like you would with apples, cut them into thin wedges first.
\n<\/strong><\/li>\n- Peanut brittle:\u00a0<\/strong>Anything that crunches when you bite it is bad news for braces.\u00a0
\n<\/strong><\/li>\n- Pens and pencils:<\/strong>\u00a0Don\u2019t laugh, a lot of students can\u2019t stop chewing on these inedible school supplies.
\n<\/strong><\/li>\n- Pickles:<\/strong>\u00a0If you have a craving, cut them into bite-sized pieces.<\/li>\n
- Popcorn:\u00a0<\/strong>Great with movies, bad with braces.<\/li>\n
- Pizza Crust:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Good news: the rest of the pie is fine!<\/li>\n
- Pretzels:<\/strong>\u00a0Bends wires, loosens bands and knocks off brackets<\/li>\n
- Raw carrots:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>If have a Bugs Bunny-like adoration for these orange veggies, steam or boil them for a much less crunchy consistency.<\/li>\n
- Ribs:\u00a0<\/strong>Just like you would with chicken wings, take the meat off the bone first.<\/li>\n
- Sugary candy:\u00a0<\/strong>Can lodge beneath brackets and wires, leading to tooth decay.<\/li>\n
- Taffy:<\/strong>: It\u2019s best to avoid this stuff entirely\u2014even if you don\u2019t have braces!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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![\"The](\"https:\/\/myorthodontists.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/shutterstock_2239936325.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t![\"Floss](\"https:\/\/myorthodontists.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/tipsforflossing-1080x675.png\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t![\"Nutrition](\"https:\/\/myorthodontists.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/NutrtionMonth2025-1080x675.png\")
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