Wearing braces will correct alignment issues to improve your smile. The effectiveness of them largely depends on how well your care for the dental gear. As a result, you should take particular precautions during meal time. Summer is a great time for cookouts and holiday gatherings, but you may be tempted to eat certain warm-weather foods that could damage or get stuck in the wires and brackets. Keep your braces intact by avoiding certain foods this season.

Which Foods Should You Not Eat While Wearing Braces?

1. Bone-In and Fatty Meat

With longer days and comfortable weather, summer is the perfect season for backyard barbecues. Avoid the urge to chomp directly into saucy, meaty spareribs, turkey legs, and other meats on bones. Pass on overly fatty burgers and hotdogs, as well. Strings and fat deposits of meat can get wedged between brackets and wiring, and biting down on the bone could also cause the material to break. If you do eat these meats, remove them from the bone first, then cut them into small pieces.

2. Hard Fruits and Vegetables

Honeydew melon, corn on the cob, summer squash, peaches, and plums are a few of the delectable fruits that are in season during summer. These foods tend to be on the harder side, which means biting directly into them could cause braces wires to bend and brackets to break. Eat these foods cooked so they're softer, or cut them into bite-size pieces when raw to minimize the risk of damage.  

3. Sticky and Crunchy Candy

When you attend barbecues and other casual get-togethers this summer, be careful about the foods you eat from the dessert table. Toffee and taffies should be avoided, as the chewy candies often leave sugary residue behind on braces. These deposits can be hard to remove and cause cavities. Peanut brittle and other crunchy treats can also damage the fragile components.

If you want to determine whether you are a good candidate for braces, reach out to Lamont Jacobs Orthodontics in Fairfield, OH. This orthodontist will assess your dental needs and recommend Invisalign® or traditional braces to address your concerns. Learn more about the types of corrective dental options Dr. Jacobs offers online. Call (513) 829-7045 to schedule an appointment.