The tight feeling of braces on your teeth can often make it seem like these smile-straightening tools are indestructible. But while this orthodontic gear is strong enough to shift misaligned teeth into place, it is still susceptible to damage. If left unaddressed, this damage can lead to severe discomfort and may eventually impair your treatment. To ensure all your hard work pays off, here are five common habits that can damage braces—and how you can avoid them.

Common Ways You Can Damage Braces

1. Touching

It can take a while to get used to the sensation of wearing braces, but you should abstain from touching them. Messing with wires and brackets too much may cause them to bend or break. If you have a problem fiddling with your braces, you might try asking others to remind you not to do it or finding a distraction for your hands.

2. Chewing Problematic Food

Hard, chewy, and sticky foods all have characteristics that are destructive to traditional braces. For this reason, it’s critical to altogether avoid problematic foods—including popcorn, nuts, caramel, bagels, corn on the cob, and taffy. If you’re craving a snack, choose those that won’t place stress on braces or get stuck between wires and brackets—such as yogurt, grapes, cheese, and chocolate.

3. Eating With Bands On  

Even if you’re eating orthodontic-friendly foods, you should never leave bands on while you chew. While these bands can help support your jaw throughout the day, eating will cause them to stretch too far. In addition to causing bands to become loose, this activity may cause them to snap.

4. Not Wearing Protection

Minor impacts to the face—including those that happen during athletic activities—may not only cause braces to break, but will also exert excessive pressure on the teeth. To prevent damaged teeth and keep your braces intact, always wear a custom mouth guard whenever you’re engaged in contact sports like wrestling and football.   

5. Using Teeth as Tools

Opening packages with your teeth may seem like a simple and convenient solution, but the resulting pressure could wreak havoc on your braces. Rather than using your teeth as tools, stick to safer resources—such as scissors.

When you want to get the most out of your orthodontic treatment, it’s important to work with an experienced specialist. Elm Dental Care. provides comprehensive care to patients in Saint Charles, MO, and can introduce you to a variety of effective teeth-straightening solutions—including traditional metal braces and Invisalign®. For more information on these and the many other services this dental clinic offers, visit their website. To schedule a convenient appointment, call (636) 916-4848.