Knowing what you can eat while you have braces is important to a successful and pleasant experience with your braces. You might be wondering whether I can eat granola bars with braces.
Which is a fair question to ask. It seems like a harmless food. This article will discuss whether or not granola bars are ok to eat with braces and provide guidance on how to clean your teeth with braces.
Can I eat granola bars with braces?
No, you should not eat granola bars with braces because hard and crunchy foods can break your braces’ brackets. This can be painful and cause extra visits to the orthodontist to repair the brackets.
Granola bars that are sticky and chewy should also be avoided because they are hard to clean from your teeth and braces, putting you at risk for cavities and possibly breaking your braces.
Learning what you can’t eat while you have braces is vital and should be taken seriously. It’s not just granola bars that need to be avoided. Any food that is hard and crunchy or soft and chewy can pose a risk to your teeth and your braces.
How to clean your teeth with braces
Cleaning your teeth with braces is not that much different than cleaning your teeth without braces. The same rules apply to brushing twice a day (at least), flossing, and avoiding food and drinks like granola bars and soda that can damage your teeth.
With that said, cleaning your teeth properly while you have braces is vital to a successful experience with the braces. You must be more diligent in cleaning your teeth to prevent problems or prolonged treatment.
Some tips for cleaning your teeth with braces are:
- Making brushing a habit. Ideally, you would brush after every meal, but if that’s not possible, then twice a day will suffice. In the morning and before bed are good times to brush your teeth.
- Floss. Every time you brush your teeth, be sure to floss beforehand to help clean between teeth and dislodge food.
- Rinse your mouth. Use mouthwash after you brush your teeth to help kill bacteria in hard-to-reach places and freshen your breath.
- Use an electric toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes are much more thorough than the standard toothbrushes, and they will give your braces a much more thorough clean.
- Don’t forget to thoroughly clean your gums and tongue. When you are brushing, start at the gum line. That tends to be where plaque builds up. Don’t forget to brush your tongue as well to remove bacteria.
- Use floss picks. You may find some parts of your braces are hard to floss. You can use floss picks to get into these hard-to-reach places to ensure your braces are clean.
Conclusion
Having braces will lead to a beautiful smile. Learning what you can and can’t eat with braces, as well as how to care for them properly, are vital for successful treatment.
