Current Patients
Foods to Eat & Avoid
What you eat during treatment directly affects your brackets, wires, and teeth. A few simple food rules prevent broken appliances and keep treatment on schedule.
Why food choices matter
A single hard bite can knock a bracket off. One sticky candy can pull a bond loose. Each broken bracket adds time to your treatment — sometimes weeks. The food rules directly protect the timeline you agreed to at your consultation.
Avoid
Keep these away from your braces
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Hard Foods
Examples: Hard pretzels, bagels, hard rolls, ice, hard candy, nuts, popcorn kernels
Why: Can snap brackets off teeth or bend wires in a single bite.
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Sticky & Chewy
Examples: Gummy candy, caramel, taffy, Starburst, Skittles, beef jerky, dried fruit, gum
Why: Stick to brackets and wires, pull bonds loose, and are nearly impossible to clean out fully.
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Crunchy Foods
Examples: Chips, hard taco shells, popcorn, raw carrots, celery, whole apples
Why: The bite force and snapping motion puts stress on brackets and wires.
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Chewy Breads
Examples: Bagels, hard rolls, thick pizza crust, baguettes
Why: Pulling and tearing motions can loosen brackets, especially on back teeth.
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Sugary & Acidic
Examples: Soda, energy drinks, citrus juice, candy, sports drinks
Why: Braces trap sugar against teeth. Prolonged exposure dramatically increases cavity and white spot risk.
Tip: Many foods are fine if prepared differently. Cut apples and carrots into small pieces. Break corn off the cob. Tear bread into pieces rather than biting with front teeth.
Enjoy
Braces-friendly foods you'll actually want to eat
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Soft Grains
Pasta, rice, soft bread, pancakes, oatmeal, soft tortillas
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Dairy
Yogurt, cheese, soft pudding, ice cream (no mix-ins), milkshakes
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Proteins
Eggs, soft fish, chicken cut small, beans, hummus, soft-cooked meat
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Fruits
Bananas, berries, grapes halved, melon, mandarin oranges, applesauce, soft pears
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Vegetables
Cooked vegetables, mashed potatoes, avocado, soft-cooked broccoli
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Snacks
Soft cookies, peanut butter, pudding, Jell-O, soft granola bars (no nuts)
After adjustment appointments
Your teeth will typically be sore for 1–3 days after each adjustment. Stick to very soft and cold options during this window.
Care tips
- — Smoothies and protein shakes
- — Yogurt and pudding
- — Soup (not too hot
- — Scrambled eggs
- — Mashed potatoes
- — Ice cream and cold treats
Avoid for a few days
- — Anything crunchy or hard
- — Chewy meats
- — Raw vegetables
- — Thick sandwiches
- — Very hot foods
- — Sticky snacks
Pain management
- — Ibuprofen or acetaminophen as directed
- — Cold foods and drinks for soothing
- — Orthodontic wax for wire irritation
- — Salt water rinse for sore gums
- — Soreness is temporary — it passes
Aligner patients: no food restrictions
If you are in aligner treatment you remove trays before eating — which means you can eat whatever you like. The food list above applies specifically to braces patients.