It’s a merry time of the year. The time for Christmas, Hanukkah, and the new year. Festivities all around, and merriment to get us through the year. The holiday season is here, and with it comes a bunch of foods and drinks that make our holidays that much more special.
Candy canes, egg nog, gingerbread men, and more are expected to be part of your diet in the near future. If you wear braces, then you know that some food restrictions come with the process, and a few of these holiday foods fall – unfortunately – into that category.
So take care of your braces by discovering what foods to avoid this holiday season with braces.
Why Are There Food Restrictions With Braces?
While braces usually take a long time to complete, they are still considered a temporary procedure. That means that the braces are designed to be removed at a later stage after the completion of treatment. The brackets are attached to the teeth with a thin layer of glue. Some foods can affect the strength of that glue, and the brackets could fall off your teeth accidentally.
What Happens Then?
When the brackets are dislodged from the surface of the teeth, 2 things happen:
- The brackets become mobile, so they constantly scrape against the tongue, lips, and cheeks resulting in ulcers and cuts that can be very uncomfortable.
- The dislodged bracket no longer exerts any force on the teeth. It is rendered useless and this can prolong the already lengthy treatment time.
Not only that, but that break may not even be visible. If the bracket is strongly related to the wire, it may become detached without you ever noticing. This again can prolong the treatment time until you visit your orthodontist for fixation of that bracket. So, unfortunately, some of the foods to avoid this holiday season with braces – mentioned in a bit – fall into this destructive category and should be avoided at all costs.
What Foods Are Off Limits With Braces?
Any foods that can break the brackets off the teeth should be avoided. This usually involves 2 categories of food:
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Hard foods:
If you bite down hard on a hard food substance, it can break off part of your tooth, so the glue that holds the brackets to the teeth doesn’t stand a chance against these foods. Examples of hard foods:
- Chips and nuts.
- Hard Chocolates.
- Hard Candies and Sweets.
- Hard vegetables and fruits such as apples, pears, and carrots.
However, we cannot in good conscience prevent you from eating such healthy foods. A great workaround is to avoid biting directly into the fruit or vegetable, and instead cutting it up into small pieces and chewing them directly on the back teeth. That way, you can enjoy these healthy foods with minimal risk to braces.
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Sticky foods:
Sticky foods are kind of double jeopardy. On one hand, they can stick to the brackets and remove them from the surface of the teeth. Moreover, they get stuck between the teeth and under the brackets, and with braces on, it is impossible to properly clean these areas. You may end up with gum disease or decay, so we recommend you avoid these sticky foods even without braces on. Examples of sticky foods:
- Bubble gum
- Toffees
- Caramel
- Licorice
Foods To Avoid This Holiday Season With Braces
Unfortunately, many of the holiday foods fall into one of these 2 categories. We realize that may make the holiday season a little less merry, but it is far better than damaging the braces and prolonging the treatment period. Some of the foods to avoid this holiday season with braces include:
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Candy cane:
Both a hard food and a sticky type of food. Even if you keep them in your mouth without biting, they eventually melt into a sticky mix that can still remove the braces.
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Gingerbread men:
Especially if cooked really well to become crunchy (and let’s face it, it is the only right way to do it). Again the crunchiness can break the brackets off the teeth. However, soft-cooked gingerbread cookies that are a bit doughy and soft can be eaten safely.
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Caramelized apples:
A favorite of children – and adults – but a true enemy of braces. Even if you can somehow get through the hard caramel layer, you will find a hard apple underneath. There is no safe way to eat caramelized apples, even for people without braces.
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Butter Tarts with nuts:
The problem here is not the tart dough but the nuts in the tarts. The dough can be softened and eaten with ease, but the nuts require crunching and grinding with the teeth. This action can damage and dislodge the braces.
Can I Eat Christmas Dinner With Braces?
Now let’s move to the good news, the holiday foods you can actually eat. Christmas usually comes with a lot of food items, most popularly – other than the ones mentioned above – is a traditional Christmas dinner of turkey, potatoes, cooked vegetables .. etc. All these are soft foods or foods requiring to be cut into pieces before eating, meaning they are safe to consume even with braces.
If you are in the mood for a lighter snack and a bit of junk food, you are also in the clear. Pizza is OK (but no hard crust), burgers, nuggets, and even popcorn (but watch out for unpopped kernels) can all be enjoyed safely. So yes there are some popular foods to avoid this holiday season with braces, but that doesn’t mean you still can enjoy the other foods that come with the season.
We wish you the merriest of Christmases and the happiest holidays. If you are a braces wearer and in need of some advice on what foods to eat and what foods to avoid this holiday season with braces, contact Dr. Anthony Farrow and his awesome team at Farrow Orthodontics.
We are happy to answer any questions pertaining to braces, clear braces, Invisalign, or Invisalign Teen in Philadelphia PA, Mt. Airy PA 19150, Center City PA 19102, and the surrounding areas of Philadelphia County, PA. If you would like to schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Anthony Farrow, please contact Farrow Orthodontics at Center City: 215-569-9060 | Mt. Airy: 215-247-9060.