Undertaking any type of orthodontic treatment is a big responsibility. Once fitted to your teeth, you are responsible for your oral hygiene, ensuring their upkeep and maintenance, and adapting your diet to ensure they stay intact and in good working order.
Like traditional metal braces, lingual braces are fixed to your teeth, meaning they cannot be removed to clean and eat, so strict attention is required in both these areas. Let’s take a look at why your diet needs to be adapted when wearing lingual braces and how you can ensure your braces stay intact whilst also ensuring you get the nutrients your body needs.
Why You Need to Adapt Your Diet for Lingual Braces.
If your particular dental issue is not suitable for clear aligners, then lingual braces are another strong and powerful option for teeth straightening which are almost invisible to those around us. One downside to fixed braces however is that your diet needs to be adapted so that you can avoid breaking your braces.
Foods that are overly tough like crusty bread, hard sweets, and raw vegetables can put too much pressure on the brackets and wires, causing them to break. Other foods that are chewy and sticky can get stuck in and around the brackets and wires, making it difficult to properly clean, therefore increasing the risk of bacterial build-up and plaque, which in turn, increases your risk of developing gum disease and cavities.
Foods to Avoid with Lingual Braces.
It’s necessary to avoid certain foods with lingual braces to ensure they stay intact and strong enough to move your teeth to their desired position. Foods to avoid include:
- Sticky and chewy sweets like caramels, pastels, gummies, and even chewing gum which can easily get lodged in your braces, making it challenging to clean them properly. Additionally, the sugary residue left behind can lead to cavities and decay.
- Hard and crunchy snacks like popcorn, nuts, and ice cubes can potentially break or dislodge brace brackets and wires. Popcorn kernels can get lodged between your teeth and braces, leading to discomfort and damage.
- Tough meats like steaks or jerky can be challenging to chew with lingual braces, potentially causing wires to bend or brackets to break.
- Hard fruits and vegetables, even though essential for a balanced diet can be hard to eat with braces. Apples, carrots, and raw broccoli, for example, require a lot of crunching and can cause damage to the brackets and wires. Make sure that vegetables are well cooked and stick to softer fruits like oranges, grapes and pineapple.
- Hard bread and crusty pizza can put a lot of pressure on the brackets and wires and potentially damage your braces.
- Corn on the cob can put excessive pressure on your braces and wires, leading to discomfort and damage, not to mention how much can get stuck in between your teeth and brackets.
- Carbonated drinks can erode tooth enamel and lead to cavities. With braces, it's even more critical to avoid these sugary and acidic drinks, as they can also damage the brackets and wires.
Foods You Can and Should Eat with Lingual Braces.
Whilst it’s important that our diet is adapted to avoid damaging lingual braces, it’s also important that we take in the nutrients we need from our food so that our bodies remain healthy. Make sure you continue to eat fruits and vegetables that are soft, like roasted carrots and parsnips, boiled potatoes and broccoli, and sweetcorn that has been removed from the cob. Ensure that meats are well cooked but tender and that your bread is soft and easier on your braces.
What to do if You Damage Your Lingual Braces?
If you have accidentally damaged your braces, one of your brackets has detached itself from your tooth or your wire has snapped then contact your orthodontist as soon as possible. They will be able to stick brackets back to your teeth and reattached wires, however, it’s important to understand that this would come at a cost, so it is best to avoid these foods as much as possible.
Need Help with Lingual Braces? Contact your Specialist Orthodontist in Oldham Today.
Here at Oldham Orthodontics, lingual braces are our most popular form of hidden brace, as they treat a wide range of dental issues. If you are worried about the upkeep of your lingual braces and want to understand if they’re right for you, come and talk to one of our specialist orthodontists in Oldham today, and book your free consultation.