Braces represent a serious investment in providing you with the ideal alignment for your teeth. If your braces are damaged it most likely will lengthen the amount of time you have to need to wear them. That is why it is vital to take care of your smile properly and eating proper foods to keep your smile healthy and your braces functioning.

There are many foods to avoid while you are aligning your smile with braces. Some of these include popcorn, nuts, pretzels, hard cookies or crackers, and hard candies. Chewing gum and eating sticky foods can bend wires, loosen brackets, knockout spacers or even get seriously stuck. This is the number one cause of damaged braces. You should also avoid biting into hard foods such as croutons, hard rolls, corn on the cob, and hard raw vegetables. It is also a good idea to avoid chewing on things like pens, pencils and ice.

Make sure you brush and floss at least twice a day. If you have trouble using floss you might want to buy a floss threader. Interdental brushes can also remove food particles and plaque from some of the hard to reach places.

If you have questions about your diet while you are on braces, need a bracket fixed on your braces, or you are due for your next adjustment, please feel free to call us at 210-695-1116 to schedule your next appointment.