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What Foods Can I Eat With Braces?

  • Burrow Welchel & Culp Orthodontics
  • September 15, 2014

When you first get your braces you will have a lot of questions about how they are going to affect your life. Learning how to take care of them and the rest of their mouth can help reduce pain and possible damage to your braces and your mouth as well. There are probably a lot of questions you have and we hope to help you get the answers you need. You might be concerned about how they will change how you need to eat or drink. There are some everyday food items that need to be avoided or that you should at least use caution with as you go about your life with braces.

The types of food that you should try to avoid or use caution when eating:

  • Potato chips or other veggie chips – Chew carefully and only eat one at a time
  • Energy drinks and sodas – These drinks should be avoided because of the high sugar content that can cause tooth decay
  • Corn on the cob – Cut the kernels off the cob to help reduce chances of pulling brackets or wires loose
  • Carrots, apples, pears and other hard fruits and veggies – Cut these fruits into small pieces and chew thoroughly
  • Chewy or hard bread such as bagels or pizza crusts – Cut into small pieces before eating

Foods that you do not need to eat:

  • Gum of any type – These can get stuck or pull lose parts of your braces
  • Candies such as gummy bears, taffy, caramel or gooey chocolate bars – These can get stuck or pull lose parts of your braces
  • Popcorn – Kernels can get stuck and crunching on un-popped kernels can cause damage
  • Nuts and hard candies – Crunching on these can cause pain and damage to braces

You should never chew on any non-food items such as your fingernails or hair. You should also avoid gnawing on pencils or other wooden items, as well as pens and other plastic objects. Ice cubes should also be something that you should never eat or crunch on whether or not you have braces or other oral hardware such as bridges, caps or fillings.

Eating any of the above-listed items can potentially cause serious problems such as broken wires on or brackets. This can cause painful results and hinder the treatment efficiency, not only this prolong treatment as well on the count of having to go back and repair the damage.

Braces are wonderful tools that help you have a healthier more beautiful smile for the rest of your life. Following these rules can feel like a hassle at times and may not seem very fun, but are well worth heading. Of course good oral hygiene is important too. Brushing after every meal and following your orthodontist’s instructions will help the process greatly. If you have any other questions about braces or other orthodontic issues please fill free to contact us. We are here for all your orthodontic needs.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr Sam Burrow D.D.S., D.M.D. – Dr. Burrow was born in Charlotte and moved to Charleston to obtain a Bachelors of Science in Biology at the College of Charleston. He graduated magna cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, and then stayed to earn a D.M.D. with honors at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Burrow completed his orthodontic residency at University of Detroit Mercy in Michigan and is now in practice with his father at Burrow Welchel & Culp Orthodontics in the Charlotte area.

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Our 5-Star Experience

We work hard to earn our patients’ trust by providing the highest quality orthodontic care possible. Check out what other patients are saying about their experience!

Destinee S.
Ms. Judith was absolutely amazing when she put my braces on! She patiently went over every step of the tedious process and made sure I understood what was happening the whole time. Her motherly energy made me feel calm, cared for, and completely at ease. She was so kind and gentle I truly felt like I was in great hands. I would 100% refer anyone to her. She made what could’ve been a stressful experience feel very comforting!
Response from the owner:We're thrilled to receive your five-star review! It warms our hearts to hear that you appreciate the care you receive at our practice. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're here for you.
Brenda D.
Very friendly office. Very patient with me in getting my retainers to fit and go on. Mary went beyond the call of duty to give advice and help me with my retainers.
Very professional office and Brittany was great!
Response from the owner:Brenda, thank you so much for the five-star review! We love to hear our patients had a wonderful experience!
Talisha S.
Mary was AMAZING !!!, along with everyone that assisted. The environment is so welcoming & everyone is very informative,
Response from the owner:Talisha, thank you so much for the five-star review! We love to hear our patients had a wonderful experience!
Charita A.
Friendly staff !!! My daughter love going here !!! They fixed her smile within a year ! I would recommend them to anyone that’s in need of braces !!!
Response from the owner:Charita, thank you for the fantastic five-star review!
tara A.
We’ve been incredibly impressed with Burrow, Welchel & Culp Orthodontics from the very beginning. Their level of care, attention to cleanliness, and commitment to patient comfort are outstanding. The team is always accommodating, and their flexible hours make scheduling visits easy for everyone. Their expertise truly stands out—our daughter’s progress in just three months has exceeded our expectations. We couldn’t be happier with our experience!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for leaving a five-star review! We're delighted to know that you had a positive experience with us. Our team is committed to providing the best care for your family!
Satish R.
Good place for consultation.. Honest recommendations and friendly staff.. not a busy location for parking..
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for the five-star review! We love to hear our patients had a wonderful experience!
Yery H.
The staff is very nice, Monica and Alexis are great, they give me the information and the treatment I need it. I would recommend Burrow Welchel & Culp Orthodontics - Ballantyne to everyone.
Response from the owner:Yery, thank you for the fantastic five-star review! Your feedback means the world to us. We're glad to hear that you're having a wonderful experience with our team!
Kara P.
I got my adult braces done here. Super friendly staff, and the best prices among 3 places I looked by a LOT! My smile is absolutely perfect now. I cant say enough good things about Burrow Welchel & Culp. Ill definitely be coming back for my kids braces.
Response from the owner:Kara, thank you so much for the five-star review! We love to hear our patients had a wonderful experience!
Sandra O ́.
Fue nuestra primera cita. Todo el personal nos trató muy bien. Me explicaron las diferentes planes que te ofrecen. La atención en general fue muy bien
Response from the owner:We're thrilled to receive your five-star review! It warms our hearts to hear that you appreciate the care you receive at our practice. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback!
Denise M.
Came here for an emergency appointment. We normally visit the location in Rock Hill. Appreciate the staff fitting us in on short notice and explaining what to do in case we have issues with our expander again. As always the staff is very warm and reassuring. Thank you all!
Response from the owner:Denise, thank you for the fantastic five-star review! Your feedback means the world to us. We're glad to hear that you're having a wonderful experience with our team!
Brandon H.
Well organized place that I decided to get my braces installed, everything went smoothly and according to the plan. I have braces now and I am enjoying them.
Response from the owner:Brandon, we are so glad you and your children had a great experience and are very grateful for the five-star review!
Ms. D.
So excited to be working with them. The facility was very clean and everyone was so friendly and explained everything in details.
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for the five-star review! We love to hear our patients had a wonderful experience!
Eric M.
It was fast and friendly service. They kept all of their promises..I couldn't be happier.
Response from the owner:Eric, thank you for the fantastic five-star review!
K E.
the staff is incredible! they make every visit fun, quick, and as pain free as possible! we couldn't be happier!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for the five-star review! We love to hear our patients had a wonderful experience!
Kamalaah H.
The staff is professional, friendly, and personable! I would definitely recommend this office to friends and family!
Response from the owner:Kamalaah, thank you so much for the five-star review! We love to hear our patients had a wonderful experience!
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