1. HARD FOODS may cause damage by bending the wires, loosening the cement under the bands or breaking the brackets and attachments on the bands. This delays treatment and increases the total time you’ll have to wear the braces on your teeth. Some of the foods of this type are listed below, along with the ways they may be eaten:
FOOD
HOW TO EAT IT
Carrots & celery sticks
grated, cooked, or cut into thin pieces
Apples and fruits
with cores peeled and cut into wedges
French bread, hard rolls, bagels
& pizza crust
broken into bite size pieces
Corn on the cob, chicken legs
& ribs
cut off the core/bone, eaten with a fork and knife
Ice cubes
PLEASE DON’T
Chew on pencils or water bottles
PLEASE DON’T
Eat popcorn, nuts or corn nuts
PLEASE DON’T
2. STICKY FOODS can damage the appliances by bending wires and loosening the cement.
FOOD
HOW TO EAT IT
Taffy licorice
PLEASE DON’T
Sugar Daddies now & laters
PLEASE DON’T
Peanut Brittle starbursts
PLEASE DON’T
Caramel sticky sugar coated candy
PLEASE DON’T
Gum ~
Please don’t chew gum!
3. FOODS HIGH IN SUGAR CONTENT should be limited. The germs, bacteria, that cause tooth decay and gum disease need food on the teeth in order to live. Sweets provide an excessive amount of energy for these germs to produce their bad effects. This is why one needs to minimize the consumption of food with sugar. Brush your teeth immediately after each meal, since most of the damage to the teeth occurs within the first half hour after eating. Gums that bleed need more brushing.
While attending school or are away from home, the problem of brushing can be solved by carrying a ’portable toothbrush, which we provide for you.
