If you’ve recently been fitted with braces, you’re probably wondering how they will change your daily life. Thankfully, your friendly Cincinnati general dentistry expert Dr. Robert Petrtyl has lots of great tips on adjusting to braces. One of the most challenging things about having braces is deciding what you should eat and what’s more trouble than it’s worth. Take it from Dr. Robert Petrtyl and avoid these five foods until your braces are off and your pearly whites are perfect:

• Ice: Okay, you might not think of ice as a food, but lots of Americans are in the habit of chewing ice cubes. Ice won’t get stuck in your teeth (obviously), but it’s so hard it can actually damage the hardware on your braces, so it’s best to steer clear.
• Super Chewy Foods: Jerky, taffy, gummy bears, toffee, caramels, or anything else that’s really sticky or chewy is a recipe for disaster when it comes to braces.
• Whole Fruits: Of course you can eat apples, pears, and other hard fruits while you have braces, but do yourself a favor and slice them up first!
• Nuts: Nuts are a great source of healthy fats, but they’re hard and can damage your braces. Dr. Robert Petrtyl advises his patients to avoid eating nuts until their braces are removed.
• Corn on the Cob: As you can probably imagine, eating corn on the cob isn’t a good idea if you have braces. If you want to eat corn, just cut it off the cob first and then you can enjoy it safely with a lot less mess.

For more information about teeth cleaning and oral health maintenance with braces, bridges, and crowns, call Dr. Robert Petrtyl today at (513) 554-4657 or visit his practice online now.