Foods to Avoid with Braces

In this blog, we’ll look at foods to avoid with Invisalign & braces. 

In previous posts, we looked at foods to eat with braces. Then, we looked at braces-friendly Halloween treats. With braces, there are more foods to watch out for since they remain attached to your teeth. 

With Invisalign, you can take out the aligner when you eat. Therefore, you can enjoy more types of foods. However, there are some foods best to avoid with Invisalign & braces.

Foods to Avoid with Invisalign and Braces

Even with Invisalign, it’s a good idea to avoid sugary, sticky, chewy foods. Even though you can take out the aligners, these foods coat your teeth and promote tooth decay. 

Other foods are hard and can wear down enamel and get stuck between teeth. Thus, it’s a good idea to limit them while you are working on your smile.

Here are some foods to try and avoid with Invisalign & braces:

• Caramels and taffies
• Chewing or bubble gum
• Jawbreakers and hard candies 
• Jellybeans and gummies
• Licorice and Twizzlers
• Nuts and crunchy snacks
• Popcorn and chips
• Starbursts
• Suckers
• Sour candies

With braces, these foods can damage wires and brackets. So, you can prevent emergency visits by avoiding them. Even with Invisalign, it’s a good idea to limit or avoid them as well.

 Liquids to Avoid with Invisalign and Braces

According to the American Association of Orthodontists, it’s best to avoid sugary drinks when wearing Invisalign. If you are wearing the aligners, this is essential. These liquids get under the aligners and braces, where they can stain the appliance and your teeth. Of course, these sugars and acids promote tooth decay.

If possible, try to avoid beverages like these:

• Sodas
• Acidic liquids
• Flavored water
• Fruit drinks
• Sports drinks
• Energy drinks

If you have your aligners in, try to stick to plain water.  

Hot Liquids Can Stain and Warp Aligners

Another category to avoid while your aligners are in place is hot drinks like coffee and tea. Unfortunately, the heat can warp the aligners. With braces, they could stain clear braces and teeth.

Foods and Beverages That Leave a Stain

In addition to limiting sugary drinks, some foods and beverages will stain aligners and braces. Thus, it’s best to avoid them with braces or whenever you are wearing your Invisalign aligners.

Foods that Stain:

• Coffee
• Tea
• Red Wine
• Beets
• Curry
• Currants
• Mustard
• Tomatoes
• Grape Juice
• Berries
• Soy sauce
• Grape juice
• Balsamic vinegar
• Some food coloring

As you can see, there are many foods that you might think twice about eating during treatment. However, there are still lots of delicious options to enjoy. Notably, there are also many candies and desserts for an occasional reward.

By sticking to these general rules, your treatment will go faster. Then, you can enjoy your favorite foods again. Best of all, you’ll have a beautiful smile that you can enjoy for a lifetime.

For more answers about orthodontic treatment, please check out our FAQ.

Orthodontic Excellence provides the best care for the communities near:

• Tacoma WA
• Summit WA
• Puyallup WA
• North Puyallup WA

Contact us today for a free initial consultation. Today, we’re taking extra steps to make sure everyone is safe.

 

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