Foods to Avoid with Braces
Certain foods can damage your braces, causing delays in treatment and emergency visits. Following these guidelines keeps your treatment on track.
Why Food Restrictions Matter
Prevent broken brackets
Avoid bent wires
Reduce emergency visits
Keep treatment on schedule
Protect your investment
Maintain comfort
Foods to Avoid
These foods can damage your braces. Skip them or modify how you eat them.
Hard Foods (Can Break Brackets)
Ice (don't chew!)
Hard candy
Nuts
Popcorn (especially kernels)
Hard pretzels
Hard cookies or candy
Hard taco shells
Hard bread/rolls
Sticky Foods (Pull Off Brackets)
Caramel
Taffy
Tootsie Rolls
Gummy bears/candies
Starbursts
Licorice
Skittles
Gum (even sugar-free initially)
Fruit roll-ups
Dried fruit
Foods You Must Bite Into
Cut or modify these foods:
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Corn on the cob → Cut kernels off
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Apples → Slice thin
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Whole sandwiches → Cut into pieces
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Burgers → Cut in half or quarters
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Chicken wings → Cut meat off bone
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Ribs → Remove meat from bone first
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Carrots → Cook or cut small
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Bagels → Tear in pieces
Chewy Foods
Wire changed or adjusted
Beef jerky
Thick pizza crust
Chewy bread
Problem Foods
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Popcorn (kernels get stuck)
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Chips (careful with hard ones)
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Pretzels (soft OK, hard not OK)
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Peanut butter (very sticky, eat carefully)
Foods You Can Enjoy
Great news! There are plenty of delicious foods that are perfectly safe for braces.
Dairy
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Cheese (soft)
- Ice cream
- Pudding
- Soft cheeses
Grains
- Soft bread
- Tortillas
- Pancakes
- Soft-cooked pasta
- Soft cereals
- Rice
- Soft cookies (not crunchy)
Proteins
- Soft-cooked meats
- Ground beef
- Chicken (tender, cut small)
- Fish
- Eggs
- Beans
- Tofu
- Lunch meats
- Soft meatballs
Fruits
- Bananas
- Berries
- Grapes
- Melon (cut into pieces)
- Oranges (segments)
- Peaches
- Pears (soft, sliced)
- Applesauce
- Fruit smoothies
- Sliced apples (thin)
Vegetables
- Steamed vegetables
- Mashed potatoes
- Cooked carrots
- Green beans
- Squash
- Lettuce/salad
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers (sliced)
- Cooked broccoli
Treats
Yes, you can still have treats!
- Soft cookies
- Brownies
- Soft cake
- Ice cream
- Milkshakes
- Jello
- Chocolate (melt-in-mouth kind)
- Peanut butter cups
- Soft candy
Good Habits
Cut, Don't Bite
Cut food into small pieces
Use utensils more
Don't bite directly into food
Take smaller bites
Chew Carefully
Chew with back teeth
Avoid front teeth for hard foods
Chew slowly
Be mindful
When in Doubt
Ask yourself: "Could this break my braces?"
If questionable, skip it or modify
Not worth risking your progress
Think long-term
Special Occasions
Choose soft options at parties
Cut pizza into small bites
Remove meat from bones at BBQs
Skip the nuts at holiday gatherings
Soft birthday cake is fine
Choose wisely at restaurants
If You Eat Something Wrong
Check brackets immediately
Rinse mouth well
Call if anything broken
Don't panic (usually can be fixed)
Sugar & Drinks
Limit sugary foods/drinks
Rinse after sugary treats
No soda between meals
Brush after sweet foods
Water is best
For Invisalign Patients
Good news! You can eat whatever you want, just remove your aligners first.
However:
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Must brush before reinserting
Don't eat/drink (except water) with aligners in
No gum even with aligners out
Clean aligners before putting back
Timeline
These restrictions are temporary! Soon you’ll have a beautiful smile and can eat whatever you want. The short-term sacrifice is worth the lifetime reward.
When Braces Come Off:
We’ll celebrate with whatever you want to eat first—caramel apple, corn on the cob, popcorn, your choice!