When you begin treatment with braces or Invisalign, it can take some time to know how to change your diet. You must create a precise list of foods you can eat, those you may consume in moderation, and foods to avoid with braces. Consulting an orthodontist in Tacoma will help you to know which foods to eat and avoid. Remember that it’s all temporary, and taking care of your orthodontic appliance is crucial for optimal results.

By choosing foods wisely, you can avoid emergencies and keep your treatment on track. Thus, you get the results you always wanted sooner, a beautiful, healthy smile. Then, you’ll be able to reward yourself with any favorites you miss during treatment.

Easy Checklist for Foods to Avoid with Braces

Generally, it would be best to remember that soft foods are safer. Then, as you decide what foods to avoid with braces and what to consume, ask if they fall into one of the categories below:

Chewy
Crunchy
Hard
Staining
Sticky
Sugary

If so, try to avoid them since they could damage or stain your braces. Hard, chewy, sticky items can get stuck around brackets and loosen them. On the other hand, staining items (we’ll look more at this next) can stain elastics, giving your braces a discolored appearance.

As for sugary foods, avoiding them is always a good idea. When wearing braces, it can be harder to clean around the wires and brackets adequately. Then, a sugary film can feed bacteria that cause tooth decay. So, try to limit sugary items, though it’s fine to enjoy occasional treats and soft desserts.

Notably, some foods to avoid with braces are hard until cooked. For example, hard veggies like carrots are fine once cooked in a softer form. Likewise, hard apples can be chopped into small pieces or cooked. That way, you can still enjoy these foods during treatment with braces.

Also, keep in mind that soft foods can have sticky, chewy, crunchy, and hard toppings too. If so, be mindful when eating foods like pizza, tacos, and other favorites. Otherwise, these toppings can get stuck in your appliance or damage your wires or brackets.

Chewy, Crunchy, Hard, and Sticky Foods to Avoid with Braces

Let’s look more closely at the specific foods to avoid with braces that fall in the chewy, crunchy, hard, and sticky categories. Keep in mind that foods can belong to multiple groups and should be avoided if they fall into any of them. As your teeth adjust to the braces, you may find that some foods are easier to tolerate than others.

Dried fruit
Licorice
Jerky
Bagels
Popcorn
Nuts
Hard candy
Chewing gum
Caramel, taffy, toffee, gummies
Corn on the cob
Raw carrots
Apples and pears
Taco shells

Sugary Drinks to Avoid with Braces

Check out this list below of sugary and acidic drinks that you may want to limit while you are wearing braces:

Acidic liquids (includes distilled water and some bottled spring water)
Energy drinks
Flavored water
Fruit drinks
Sodas (including diet)
Sports drinks

Drinking water, in general, is usually the healthiest option. However, some bottled water brands may not be as acidic as others. When in doubt, choose to stay hydrated with whatever is available.

Staining Drinks & Foods to Avoid with Braces

If you wear braces, you may have elastics, prone to staining with some foods and drinks. With clear braces, they tend to resist staining. However, it’s always a good choice to limit these items or brush, floss, and rinse if you do partake of staining foods and drinks.

Aside from your braces, these foods and drinks may also cause discoloration of your tooth enamel, so take extra caution. It’s a little more challenging to keep your teeth white while wearing braces, so avoiding foods and drinks high in staining agents are best.

Balsamic vinegar
Beer
Beets
Berries
Coffee
Currants
Curry
Food colorings
Grape juice
Mustard
Red wine
Soy Sauce
Tea
Tomatoes

Notably, this is not a full list. So, if an item is likely to stain your clothes, it might also stain your brackets, elastics, and teeth. Fortunately, brackets and elastics colors are changed periodically, so you can still enjoy foods and drinks from this list occasionally.

Foods to Limit Right After You Get Braces

After you get your braces, your mouth will be more sensitive. So, you may want to avoid the following foods until you adjust (usually a couple of weeks):

Citrus and spicy foods
Thick bread and cuts of meat
Ice cream (if cold-sensitive)
Apples (raw and whole)
Carrots (hard and raw)
Popcorn
Nuts & seeds
Chips & crackers

These foods are typically fine to eat, especially after your mouth adjusts. However, chew on the opposite side of your mouth and with care until you become accustomed to not wearing your braces.

Optimal Braces Treatment and Care in Tacoma, Federal Way, and Southcenter WA

Soon, your discipline and effort will pay off with a gorgeous smile to show for a lifetime. But for now, you need the proper information and lifestyle adjustments to keep your braces safe from damage.

At Pacific Northwest Orthodontics, we provide the best braces treatment in Tacoma and care for all our patients. From proper information on foods to avoid with braces to make sure your appliance is in optimal condition, our team of orthodontists and staff strive to provide the best smile for you.

Contact us today at (253) 472-7788 with any questions or to schedule an appointment at one of our offices in Tacoma, Federal Way, and Southcenter. We look forward to helping you on your journey to a beautiful smile!

We are proud to offer outstanding orthodontic care for patients of all ages, including children, teens, and adults from Tacoma, Parkland, Lakewood, Fircrest, University Place, Puyallup, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and the greater Pierce County area since 1994.

Foods to Avoid with Braces: Complete List & Useful Diet Tips