For most situations, common sense will tell you what foods to avoid. Hard foods, sticky foods and foods high in sugar must be avoided. Hard foods can break or damage wires and brackets. Sticky foods can get caught between brackets and wires. Minimize sugary foods; they cause tooth decay and related problems. Nail biting, pencil and pen chewing, and chewing on foreign objects should be avoided.  Please remember that even foods that are healthy for you, including raw carrots or apples, can cause damage to your braces and should be cut into small pieces.

Examples of Sticky Foods to Avoid

Gum
Licorice
Sugar Daddies
Toffee
Tootsie Rolls
Caramels
Starburst

Examples of Hard Foods to Avoid

Ice
Nuts
Hard taco shells
Skittles
French bread crust/rolls
Corn on the cob
Apples (unless cut into small pieces)
Bagels
Chips
Popcorn
Jolly Ranchers
Pizza crust
Uncooked carrots (unless cut)

Minimize Sugary Foods like:

Cake
Ice Cream
Cookies
Pie
Candy

Only Once a Day:

Soda
Sweetened tea
Gatorade
Kool-Aid
Drinks with sugar