• Avoid chewing gum.


• Avoid hard, chewy candy (i.e. caramels, Jolly Ranchers).


• When eating raw produce, such as apples, cut it into small bite-size pieces and chew with your back teeth.


• Surprisingly, hard or chewy pizza crust can be problematic, so if you’re sitting down to a meal of pizza, make sure you cut it into small pieces. You’ll enjoy it a whole lot more if your braces don’t break.


• Do not chew on ice cubes. If anything, you may chew on crushed or shaved ice.


• Avoid nuts, biscotti, and hard crusts in general.


• If you’re a nail biter or like to chew on the end of a pencil, break these habits now as they will cause your appliance to break.


• Avoid popcorn. Kernels can wedge between your gums and the appliance and cause infection.


• If you are about to eat something that you are unsure whether or not it may cause damage, be very cautious or just avoid eating it all together.

A broken appliance can delay your treatment time and affect the movement of your teeth. If you notice a band, archwire, or bracket has loosened or broken off the tooth surface, contact us so we can schedule a repair appointment as soon as possible.