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With the holiday season in full swing, everyone should get prepared for good times with family and friends, great food, and tighter pants! For people with braces, it can be hard to keep in mind what kinds of foods you should and shouldn’t eat, especially with a table full of delicious food in front of you.

Taking good care of your braces is a full-time job, but this list of tips and healthy options should help make sure you can keep smiling all through the holidays.

• Avoid Hard/Crunchy Foods

  Foods that are very hard or crunchy can easily pop off a bracket or snap a wire. Try to steer clear of candy canes, peanut brittle, nuts, popcorn, and anything else that you have to put a lot of effort into crunching down on. Nuts and popcorn should be avoided. Hard bread is okay if you dip it in soup to soften it, and hard cookies or gingerbread can be dipped in a glass of milk as well, but you should stay away from anything too hard.

• Avoid Very Chewy or Sticky Foods

  Chewy or sticky foods love to get stuck in braces and wires and can tug on them, which can pop a bracket or wire right off as well as being incredibly difficult to clean. Anything with caramel should be avoided, as well as toffee and other sticky candies. You should also try to avoid having too many sugary treats, as they can cause staining around the brackets.

• Enjoy the Foods You CAN Eat

  Most dairy foods like cream cheese, custard, and ice cream are fair game. Soft breads and other grains like muffins, pasta, and rice are fine to eat as well, as long as they’re not too chewy. Fruits and veggies are always a good choice as long as they’re not too hard (no raw apples, raw carrots, etc.). Mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables are great choices. Meats such as turkey, ham, and pot roast are a holiday staple and are good as well, as long as you’re not eating meat off the bone or trying to chew pieces that are too large.

• Maintain Good Cleaning Habits

  It can be hard to resist snacking all day when cookies, candy, and other treats aplenty are laying around the house during the holidays. Make sure that you brush and floss regularly to keep your teeth and braces clean, and brushing and flossing right after a big holiday meal is always a great idea!

• Don’t Forget to Change Up Your Band Colors!

  Most people love to have their favorite color or cool color combinations for their rubber bands, but why not get festive? Opting for holiday-themed colors such as green and red or gold and silver is a fun way to “decorate” for the holidays and can go great with that ugly Christmas sweater hiding in your closet.

No matter what holiday you celebrate, Lazzara Orthodontics is here to help you have a great smile during the festivities. Located in Ponte Vedra and Jacksonville Beach, Dr. Lazzara and our entire team believes every patient is a member of our extended family, and we are committed to providing the highest quality care possible. Give us a call at (904) 270-8750 today or schedule a free initial consultation today!