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Holidays Foods to Eat & Avoid When Wearing Braces

The last thing that you want to think about when you are celebrating the holidays with friends and family is accidentally popping a bracket on your braces. If you currently have braces, it is important to follow the advice of our orthodontist in Lombard in terms of foods that you should or should not eat. With food being a focal point of the holiday season, it’s tempting to indulge in all of the seasonal flavors and goodies. Make sure you choose your food carefully, otherwise, you may end up with a bracket that has popped off or a loose wire!

Foods You Should Avoid

It’s safe to say that all sticky foods should be avoided when you are wearing braces. This is due to the fact that they can easily get wrapped around your brackets and cause damage. Stay away from chewy holiday candies such as caramels, toffee, fudge, and more. Seasoned nuts and popcorn snacks are another holiday favorite; because the nuts and kernels are so hard, it is best to avoid the risk of popping a bracket while eating them. Finally, it would not be the holiday season without copious amounts of cookies. As tempting as it may be to indulge, you could end up causing damage to your braces, meaning you’ll need to seek attention from our orthodontist in Lombard.

In general, you should also avoid eating these foods when you have braces:

  • gum
  • chips
  • pretzels
  • ice
  • hard taco shells
  • corn on the cob
  • French/Italian bread

Foods like raw vegetables and fruit should also be eaten with caution. If possible, try to cut these types of foods into smaller, bite-sized pieces.

Foods You Can Eat

Soft foods are always ideal when you have braces. This holiday season, feel free to indulge in cheese plates, mashed potatoes, cookies or crackers that are easy to bite into, and more! Foods like yogurt, bananas, grapes, peanut butter, and pasta dishes are also braces-friendly.

The bottom line: it is important to maintain a healthy and nutritious diet when you are wearing braces, as this ensures that your body is getting the proper nutrients that it needs in order to keep your bones and tissues healthy. A healthy diet can help support your body while it is going through the changes that your mouth experiences while wearing braces as well.

If you have more questions about what foods you should avoid and what foods you can eat this holiday season, feel free to contact our orthodontist in Lombard today!

 

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