Why do I have to avoid eating chips with braces?
When you get your braces on, it is important to keep in mind not only how to take care of your braces, but also what foods are okay to eat with your braces, and what foods you should avoid. One of the most popular types of foods that needs to be avoided while in orthodontic treatment with braces is chips. Any type of hard and crunchy food is something you will want to avoid while wearing your braces. Chips like Fritos, Doritos, Tostitos, Cheetos, Takis, as well as pretzels and other hard breads are foods that can not only damage your wire, but also cause your brackets to break.
How can chips and hard breads (such as pizza crust) mess up my wire?
Well, we are glad you asked! Especially in the early stages of your braces treatment, the wires in your mouth are really flexible. As such, if you were to be eating chips and salsa from your favorite restaurant, when you bite down, the chips can cause these light and flexible wires to bend, and put permanent deformations in your wire, or even break the wire entirely!
What are some other types of foods to avoid while in orthodontic treatment with braces?
Chips and hard breads are not the only foods that should be avoided while in treatment. Peanuts should also be avoided during treatment. Sticky foods like taffy can get stuck around the brackets on the teeth and you may be unable to clean the taffy off.
What are some foods that I am able to eat?
As a general rule, softer foods will be better while in orthodontic treatment with both braces and invisalign. Foods like mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and pasta are going to be both more comfortable to eat while in treatment and also not cause any broken brackets, invisalign attachments, or orthodontic wires.
