It seems ironic that the tools used to improve your teeth and bite result in temporary restrictions on what you’re able to chew easily, but taking good care of your braces now is important. Damaged braces can mean a longer treatment time. Certain foods can be hard on braces, and can even damage the hardware. Avoiding a few common foods now can mean better oral health down the road.

Foods to Avoid

In general, anything hard, sticky, crunchy, or chewy should be avoided. This includes, but isn’t limited to, popcorn, nuts, tortilla chips, hard candy, gum, ice, raw vegetables, and tough meats and snacks like beef jerky. You can eat some of these foods by cutting them up into smaller pieces, making them easier to chew, but popcorn and hard candies should be avoided until your braces come off.

Better Choices

While some foods should be avoided, there are some that are good choices during the time you wear your braces. Hull-less popcorn is a good substitute. Yogurt, bananas, grapes, oranges, strawberries, and other pitless, soft fruits are good choices. Light crackers or soft cookies are a good occasional treat. Mashed potatoes and other cooked vegetables, as well as pasta dishes, provide some variety to the diet without damaging your braces.

Brace-Friendly Diet

In general, you’ll want to avoid hard, sticky, crunchy foods while wearing braces. Remember that sugary foods like soda and candy tend to collect in the tiny crevices around your devices, and can make cleaning your teeth a more arduous task. If you simply can’t resist sweets, remember to clean your teeth thoroughly after every meal and snack, and pay particular attention to your flossing routine. Remember, wearing braces is a temporary situation. If you take good care of them for a short time, you’ll have stronger, straighter teeth and you’ll be better able to enjoy all the foods you love for the rest of your life.

When wearing braces, dental hygiene becomes more important than ever. While the braces are necessary to correct problems like misaligned teeth or an over or under-bite, they also create a multitude of new spaces for plaque to form and bacteria to thrive. It’s important to clean out those spaces daily by regularly brushing and flossing, to reduce cavities and the risk of gingivitis and periodontal disease.

Daily Brushing

Daily oral health care recommendations include brushing for at least two minutes twice each day. When you wear braces, it’s important to brush after every meal, to remove the food particles from the small spaces around the hardware. If it is not possible to brush, then be sure to rinse your mouth well with water after eating. Regular brushing will help keep your teeth healthy. Your dentist may recommend a sonic toothbrush for easier brushing.

Regular Flossing

Regular flossing removes the plaque that can build up between teeth. Flossing with braces is a bit more challenging, but can be done. An orthodontic floss threader can help make it easier to floss with braces. It helps you to pull the floss through the gap between teeth above the wire, allowing you to carefully floss the gap. Do not press down against the wire, as doing so could cause unnecessary irritation and may damage your wires.

Choose The Right Floss

Floss comes in waxed or unwaxed varieties. Many patients find that waxed floss is the best choice when wearing braces. Non-waxed floss is more likely to catch on the wires, leaving behind shreds of floss. The wax helps reduce friction and prevents the floss from shredding. As an added bonus, waxed floss comes in a variety of flavors, making it more appealing to young people. Daily flossing takes practice and discipline, but it’s one of the best ways to protect the long-term investment orthodontics represent. Protect your smile, and brush and floss every day.

Most people have braces during adolescence or childhood, but they are increasingly common for adults as well. Although they can be a nuisance for a while, the benefits- straighter teeth, correction of over or under bite, and malocclusion of the teeth, last a lifetime. Taking good care of your braces helps decrease the risk of tooth decay and contributes to their effectiveness.

Brushing with Braces

Begin your oral care routine by thoroughly brushing with a soft-bristled brush. Begin from the top, and work downward on each tooth. It may be necessary for you to use a “proxabrush,” sometimes referred to as a “Christmas tree” brush, to get into the spaces between the brackets. Rotating brushes are sometimes recommended. Whatever brush you use, it’s important to remove any food particles around the braces and teeth.

Don’t Forget to Floss

Next, feed the short end of the floss through the space between the arch wire and the upper portion of the tooth closest to the gum. Gently work the floss on each side of the teeth. Be careful not to put too much force against the wire- you don’t want to bend it. Repeat this procedure with each gap.

Finally, rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash to help remove any food particles that might be lurking. If you’re wearing a retainer, remove it and clean it thoroughly by soaking it in a denture cleanser recommended by your dentist.

Avoid Problem Foods

Part of the value of wearing braces is that they help realign the teeth, providing a better bite and increasing your ability to properly chew your food. In the long run, they help you eat better by providing you the ability to more easily chew hard foods like vegetables.

While you’re wearing braces, however, it’s best to avoid certain foods. Hard or tough foods like apples or bagels are not good for your braces. Also on the “to avoid” list are taffy, caramels, and bubble gum. Don’t chew ice while wearing braces. In fact, you should avoid chewing on ice all together, as it can crack the enamel of your teeth. Hard pretzels, popcorn, nuts, and carrots should be avoided, as well as hard candy. Limit your intake of sugary drinks and foods while wearing braces, to help control the cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth.

Although wearing braces can be inconvenient at times, the long term benefits make them well worth some extra time and care.

Invisalign is a revolutionary approach to orthodontics that eliminates the problems with traditional braces while providing patients with a comfortable, discreet option for straightening teeth.

Uneven Bite

An uneven bite can interfere with speaking and chewing, and can cause uneven and abnormal wear on the enamel. Worn enamel leaves teeth vulnerable to decay, and may require expensive veneers or crowns to correct. In severe cases, an uneven bite can lead to jaw problems. Braces, like the Invisalign system, help adjust teeth into the correct positions to create a healthy bite and straighter teeth, resulting in an attractive smile as well as greater comfort when chewing and speaking.

Invisalign Preferred Provider Program

An orthodontist who has been trained in using Invisalign and has significant experience using the system can achieve the status of “preferred provider.” Crescent Moon Orthodontics is proud to be an Invisalign Preferred Provider. When you come into our office, you’ll be seen by staff who have had years of experience applying Invisalign systems to improve the health of our patient’s teeth.

How the Treatment Works

Your orthodontist will map out a course of treatment. He will take impressions of your teeth, and your clear aligners are customized to fit your teeth. Over time, the aligners shift your teeth into the correct position. Typically, a new aligner is applied each week until the correction is complete. Since the aligners are custom designed to fit your specific treatment plan, precise adjustments are possible, providing the best possible results.

Charleston Orthodontist – Crescent Moon Orthodontics

It’s the phrase every parent dreads hearing: “Your child needs braces.”

Are you searching for a Charleston Orthodontist? Whether your child has an overbite, underbite, misaligned teeth, an injury, or needs other correctional treatment, orthodontics is a long-term investment in your child’s teeth and overall health. Proper alignment of the jaw and teeth affect not only the appearance and self-confidence but the ability to chew well. Our team is here to answer your questions, explain your options, and help you determine the best course of treatment for yourself or your child.

Crescent Moon Orthodontics offers the orthodontic services you need in Charleston, SC. We specialize in making each of our patients feel relaxed and comfortable with their appointments. Our team consists of Dr. Michael R. Zetz Jr., DMD, MS, two orthodontic assistants, and several office staff. All of us work together to coordinate your care and ensure you have the best possible outcome from your treatment. Dr. Zetz holds memberships with several Orthodontic Associations, as well as state and national Dental Associations.

Your First Appointment

When you come in for your first appointment, please bring in any panoramic X-rays taken in the past six months, insurance information, and patient forms (downloadable from our web page.)

New patients will undergo a complete dental exam to determine if there is a condition that can best be addressed with orthodontic treatment and whether treatment is appropriate at this time, in light of the stage of growth. We will discuss your options, potential costs, and payment options as well. We encourage you to ask questions and bring up any concerns so that we can help ensure a high level of satisfaction.

Our goal at the first visit is to have you leave the appointment with a clear understanding of your specific needs and options, and how long treatment will take, as well as the costs. 

Visit us at one of our locations on Daniel Island, SC or Summerville, SC.