Eating and cleaningQuestion before treatment

What foods can't I eat with braces?

Answered byDr Ivelina Ivanova-Koycheva, Orthodontist (MSc)Master's degrees in orthodontics in Rome and in aligner treatment in Turin, international lecturerPublished on 12 November 2026

During treatment with braces, you need to avoid certain foods that can make brackets come off, damage the archwires or lead to plaque building up. These include nuts, popcorn, pretzel sticks, bagels, bread crusts (pizza crusts included), hard raw vegetables such as carrots, fruit with stones unless the stones have been removed first, hard chocolate with whole nuts, sticky sweets and biscuits.

Foods that you have to bite into should also be eaten with extra care or cut up beforehand. Foods with strongly coloured seasonings such as curry, turmeric and ketchup can stain aesthetic braces, so it is best to avoid them.

This answer is for general information. Your own case needs an examination by an orthodontist.