Back To School With Braces

Back To School With Braces Survival Checklist

Here is a list of important items to keep with you to maintain clean braces and teeth:

Toothbrush & Toothpaste
Floss Picks
Compact Mirror
Retainer Case
Lip Balm
Wax
Elastics
Mouth Guard

Bad Habits And Foods To Avoid With Braces

Several dishes, ingredients and commonly chewed things can inhibit braces’ corrective nature, extending the time required to wear them. Dr. Vakani put together a list of bad habits and foods to avoid with braces:

Stop yourself from gnawing your fingernails and writing tools. This can damage your braces.
Avoid anything sticky, crunchy, or that requires excessive chewing. Examples include caramel, Jolly Ranchers, Skittles, taffy, etc. Soft peanut butter is an acceptable food to eat with braces.
Avoid hard centers. When dining on ribs, buffalo wings, etc., remove the meat.
Avoid “chomping” into food. Slice apples into chewable portions for your molars, slice the corn off of corn cobs, etc.