After we place your braces, stick to soft foods until any discomfort subsides—typically for a week. Throughout your treatment, remember to stay away from sticky, hard, crunchy food and candy to keep from damaging your braces. Review our suggestions below to keep your appliances in perfect shape.

Foods to avoid with braces:

Chewy foods — bagels, licorice

Crunchy foods — popcorn, chips, ice

Sticky foods — caramel candies, chewing gum

Hard foods — nuts, hard candies

Foods that require biting into — corn on the cob, apples, carrots

Objects that you may chew or bite on – pencils, pens, water bottles, and mouthpieces

Foods you CAN eat with braces:

Dairy — soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks

Breads — soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins without nuts

Grains — pasta, soft cooked rice

Meats/poultry — soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats

Seafood — tuna, salmon, crab cakes

Vegetables — mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans

Fruits — applesauce, bananas, fruit juice

Treats — ice cream without nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, soft cake