Foods to Avoid and Precuaion | Kupiec Orthodontics & Pediatric Dentistry

For most situations, common sense will tell you what foods to avoid. Hard foods, sticky foods, and foods high in sugar must be avoided. Hard foods can break or damage wires and brackets. Sticky foods can get caught between brackets and wires. Sugary foods cause tooth decay and related problems. Nail biting, pencil and pen chewing, and chewing on foreign objects should also be avoided.

Contact us if you have any questions or to schedule an appointment!

Examples of Sticky Foods to Avoid:Gum (sugar-free or regular)LicoriceSugar Daddies®ToffeeTootsie Rolls®CaramelsStarburst®

Examples of Hard Foods to Avoid:IceNutsHard taco shellsFrench bread crust/rollsCorn on the cobApples and carrots (unless cut into small pieces)BagelsChipsJolly Ranchers®Pizza crustUncooked carrots (unless cut)

Minimize Sugary Foods like:CakeIce CreamCookiesPieCandy

Only Once a Day:SodaSweetened teaGatorade®Kool-Aid®Drinks with sugar

Hard/Crunchy Foods:

Foods that are difficult to bite into or chew can cause your teeth to chip or crack.

(Hard candies, ice, lollipops, bones)

Acidic Foods:

Foods that are high in acidity can wear down your enamel over time and leave your teeth weakened and susceptible to decay.

(Citrus fruits, sodas, sugary drinks/juices, tomato soup)

Did you see some of your favorite foods on here? If so, don’t worry, moderation is the key! Some of these foods or their primary ingredients are fairly difficult to avoid in our daily diets. This is where great oral hygiene habits come into play such as daily flossing and brushing your teeth!

If you are unsure if some of your favorite foods are harming your teeth, feel free to talk to your DentFirst Dentist or Hygienist to learn more about how these foods may be affecting your smile.

It is important that we understand the large role that nutrition plays in caring for and maintaining a healthy, bright and beautiful smile! Nutrition and oral health are incredibly interrelated and knowledge is power when it comes to protecting your smile!

Regular visits to your dentist and optimal home care are fundamental in oral hygiene and health. However, regular and excessive consumption of foods that are detrimental to your teeth can still compromise the health of your smile.

At DentFirst Dental Care, we want to help our patients have a comprehensive understanding of the best ways and practices to keep their beautiful smiles healthy!