Is it possible to have chocolate when you have braces?
If you have braces it is always important to take extra care to keep them strong & durable so that they can properly realign your teeth. To be certain of this, if you have braces you need to take extra care with what you eat in order avoid anything that could weaken their effectiveness.
We’re regularly asked by patients – can you eat chocolate with braces or does this harm them? Chocolate gains its sweetness from the high volume of sugar in its ingredients which can lead to decay and gum disease. This decayThe lay term for carious lesions in a tooth; decomposition of tooth structure. and disease can then weaken the effectiveness of the braces.
Soft chocolate shouldn’t cause any immediate damage to the braces or teeth, although it must be eaten in moderation as eating it in excess will lead to an increase in plaqueA soft sticky substance that accumulates on teeth composed largely of bacteria and bacterial derivatives. and gum disease which could undo all the work the braces are trying to achieve.
Your dentist may advise you to be particular about the type of chocolate you choose. Certain chocolates should be avoided:
• Chocolate that contains caramel for example is sticky should be avoided as this could interfere or harm the braces. Furthermore, morsels of caramel could become stuck to the braces and lead to future decay.
• Chocolate containing hard nuts and other hard ingredients may potentially damage the braces.
• Particularly hard chocolate, such as chocolate that has been refrigerated, could damage the braces.
Once you’ve had chocolate, we recommend brushing your teeth so that you can remove any morsels of food that lead to gum disease or tooth damage. This will also ensure that your braces remain strong and continue to do their job.
The best thing you can do before having your braces installed or during regular appointments with your dentist, is to ask them about the negative effects of chocolate to learn more.
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