Eating With Braces

During treatment, you can plan on eating most of the food you normally enjoy with a few exceptions. The exceptions ("Foods to Avoid") are listed below. You'll find that it's easier to eat when you cut food into smaller pieces. Also, for your comfort you'll want to to eat softer foods after the initial placement of your braces and after each adjustment. Avoid tough meats, hard breads, and raw vegetables after a wire change and instead enjoy yogurt, scrambled eggs, or mashed potatoes. Click on the link below to view our video of recommended foods with braces.

Foods to Avoid

• Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips
• Sticky foods: caramels, Jolly Ranchers, Starburst
• Hard foods: nuts, candy
• Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob (try cutting corn off the cob), apples, carrots (apples and carrots should be in small pieces)
• Chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.

Click here to watch our video on Foods to Avoid with Braces.

Ask Dr. Jeremy

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