What Foods Can I Eat?

Patients being orthodontically treated need to observe certain diet restrictions to avoid breaking their appliances. Appliances can tolerate only so much stress before giving away.

For the first day or so, stick to soft foods. Avoid tough meat, hard breads, and raw vegetables. You'll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you're wearing braces.

Food to Avoid:

• Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, pizza crust, beef jerky
• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice cubes
• Sticky foods: caramels, taffy, and licorice
• Gum: only soft, sugarless gum is OK
• Hard foods: hard fruits such as apples, unless they are cut very thin, raw vegetables, peanuts
• Brittle, hard pretzels, crackers, corn chips and taco shells
• Soda: acid in soda will cause decalcification

Other Things to Avoid:

• Chewing fingernails, pens & pencils, Popsicle sticks, overcooked foods

Foods to Be Sliced or Broken Up Before Eating

• Apples, chips, raw vegetables, corn on the cob