When you are undergoing Orthodontic treatment it is necessary to take special care with the foods you eat. Foods which are hard, sticky, chewy or crunchy should be avoided as they can damage the brackets or pull them off your teeth. Breakages extend your treatment time and we know your time is valuable. Sugar can also get around the brackets and cause decay.
Please do not eat sticky lollies: Minties, Toffee, Redskins, Hard-centred chocolates or Fantales, etc.
Please do not eat other lollies: Lollipops etc – sucking lollies will cause tooth decay because of the amount of time the sugar stays on your teeth and because lollies are often eaten between meals when your salivary flow is low.
Please do not consume Soft drinks: these drinks contain sugar and acid which dissolves enamel and cause rapid decay and staining around braces. Cola drinks and braces are a disaster for teeth.
If soft drinks are to be consumed on a special occasion use a straw so there is less contact with the enamel.
Sports drinks in combination with dehydration can cause erosion of enamel. Rinse teeth with water if they are consumed and use a neutral fluoride mouthrinse at night to remineralise the enamel.
Please do not eat hard foods: Ice cubes, raw carrots, whole apples, corn on the cob, meat on bones (e.g. spare ribs, drumsticks), hard crusty bread, large pieces of tough steak or pork crackling, muesli bars etc.
Also do not: chew your pen, open pop top water bottles with your teeth or chew your nails.
Don’t worry: plain soft chocolate and ice-cream is fine as long as you brush afterwards.
For more information on your Diet, please contact Centenary Orthodontics on 07 3376 5266 or click here to contact us online.
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