GOLDEN RULES OF EATING WITH BRACES AVOID BITING WITH THE FRONT TEETH! AVOID STICKY FOODS HIGH IN SUGAR! AVOID HARD, CRUNCHY FOODS!
MEAT/POULTRY/FISH AND ALTERNATES
DAIRY PRODUCTS
•
Cut all meat off the bone (spare ribs, chicken wings, drumsticks)
•
All dairy products are safe except for ice cream which must be plain (no nuts or hard chunks)
•
Avoid all nuts and sunflower seeds in the shell
•
Avoid hard ice cream sandwiches
BREADS/CEREALS/GRAINS FRUITS/ VEGGIES
•
Remove pits from fruit (peaches, plums, cherries)
All crusty and dense breads should be broken into bite sized pieces (French bread, bagels, pizza crust)
•
•
Cut veggies into thin sticks or bite size pieces
Avoid hard/chewy granola bars (soft cereal bars are fine)
•
Avoid muslix cereals
•
Kernels must be cut from corn on the cob
•
Avoid all sticky, chewy, crunchy and nutty chocolate (Oh Henry, Snickers, Mars bars, etc.)
• •
Avoid popcorn kernels
• •
Avoid ice cubes
• •
Do not open packages with your teeth
• •
Cut hard fruit into slices (apples, pears)
•
You may eat plain chocolate (at room temperature).
• •
You may eat chips and cheesies
•
Let hard candy melt in your mouth, don’t bite or chew it.
•
Lick, don’t bite frozen treats such as popsicles
•
Soft drinks should be consumed at meal time (we recommend sugar free)
Be careful when eating pretzels and nacho or taco chips (take small bites)
Avoid all hard, sticky and chewy candy (gum, toffee, jelly beans, ju-jubes, fruit roll-ups, skittles, sour keys, gummi bears) Avoid bad habits such as: nail biting, chewing on pens/pencils Do not suck on lemons or limes (the acids can damage enamel)