6 Summer Foods Your Orthodontist in Heath, OH Wants You To Avoid

To get the most out of your orthodontic treatment, you’ll have to steer clear of bad oral habits, keep up with your hygiene, and avoid certain foods. Summer can be the most tempting time to open up a bag of chips and munch on a plateful of raw veggies at your family barbeque. Although it can be difficult, certain classic seasonal snacks can impact your braces and affect your treatment. Read on for 6 foods your orthodontist in Heath, OH recommends steering clear of this summer.

Chips

Hard and crunchy foods like chips and pretzels can damage your wire and break your brackets. In the early stages of your treatment, your wires are more flexible, meaning eating some of your favorite summer snacks like chips and salsa could cause your light wires to bend or even break.

Corn on the Cob

While corn is completely fine to eat, you’ll have to remove it from the cob first. Biting into a hard cob can cause your braces to loosen or dislodge your brackets. This can impact your treatment time and require you to make a speedy visit to your orthodontist.

Raw Vegetables

Hard and crunchy snacks like raw vegetables such as carrots and celery can cause one of your brackets to pop off or a wire to bend. Even though munching on a raw vegetable platter sounds like the perfect healthy family reunion snack with great nutritional value, it’s challenging for your braces to power through. Instead, try cooking the carrots to soften them or consume all of your favorite hard veggies and fruits by putting them into a juicer!

Thick-Cut Meats

When your family is having a barbeque or picnic with a giant array of all of your favorite meat, make sure to cut them up into small bite-size pieces. Remember to remove any fat or bones that could cause damage to your brackets and wires. Also, avoid foods like chicken wings and drumsticks because they can cause your brackets to become unbonded from your teeth. Instead, stick to slow-roasted and tender meats and other soft side-dishes like mashed potatoes and pasta salad.

Sweets

Sugary snacks and candy can not only impact your oral health and leave your teeth susceptible to cavities and dental decay, but they can also affect your braces. Try avoiding pop at your summer family events and go for water instead. Foods that are doughy and soft like donuts, pastries, and cakes, contain sugar and flour that attach to your teeth, wires, and brackets. Cleaning between your braces is hard enough, so why make it more difficult?

Steering clear of tempting summer treats is hard, but it’s well worth it. Avoid an emergency visit with your orthodontist by thinking about how consuming a certain food will affect your braces treatment. Instead, stick to the snacks you know you can have like soft dairy, grains, and side dishes.

About the Author

Dr. Jason Lawrence is passionate about providing patients of all ages with the straightened smile they dream about. With years of experience under his belt, he’s able to provide patients with the high-quality care they can trust. For questions or to schedule an appointment, visit Wigal Orthodontics’ website or contact 740-281-0445.