The holidays are rough for people with braces. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things they should avoid eating. It’s tempting to bend (or break) the rules, but it is NOT worth the damage to brackets and wires. Broken braces are not a good addition to a holiday party. To avoid this, be sure to be aware of the foods that are not braces-friendly.

Pecan Pie: Everything about pecan pie is bad for your braces–sticky caramel, nuts, starchy crust. All of these things can get caught in or even damage your brackets and wires. Stick with the softer fruit, custard, or cream pies this holiday season.

Caramel Apple Pie: One notable exception to the fruit pie rule is caramel-apple pie. Caramel in general is a bad plan for braces. Stick with a regular, soft apple pie with cinnamon-sugar and you should be fine!  As for a plain caramel substitute, white, dark, or milk chocolate are all good ideas. Soft chocolate dishes such as puddings, cakes, chocolate silk pie, and chocolate cream sauce are all delicious and easy to clean from braces.

Nuts and nut pieces: Avoid nuts while you have braces. This can be hard through the holidays, but it is worth it. They can severely damage your braces, and can get stuck in your teeth, making it difficult to clean them. To reduce the feeling of missing out, try using nut extracts in cakes and cookies. This will give you the nutty flavor you want, without the damage to your braces.

For more information, call Santa Monica Orthodontics in Santa Monica, California at 310-393-3344. Dr. Rehana Khan and our team would love to help you have a braces-healthy holiday!