Can you chew gum with braces? Most orthodontists advise against it. Ordinary gum sticks to brackets and can bend the wire, and sugared gum feeds the plaque that collects around braces. Some orthodontists allow sugar-free gum, so ask yours before you try it. This guide covers gum, what you can eat with braces, and the foods to avoid.
Can you have gum with braces?
- Sugared gum: no. It sticks to the brackets and raises the risk of decay around them.
- Sugar-free gum: only if your orthodontist says it is fine for your type of braces. It is less sticky and does not cause decay, but it can still catch on wires.
- If gum gets stuck: remove what you can with a toothbrush and floss, and call your orthodontist if a wire has moved.
What can you eat with braces?
Most everyday food is fine, particularly if you cut it into small pieces and chew with your back teeth.
- soft fruit such as bananas, berries, melon and ripe pears
- apples, carrots and other firm produce, if cut into thin slices or cooked
- pasta, rice, noodles and soft bread
- eggs, fish, chicken and tender meat cut off the bone
- yoghurt, cheese and milk
- soups, mashed potato and steamed vegetables
Foods to avoid with braces
- Hard foods: nuts, hard lollies, ice, popcorn kernels, crusty bread and raw carrot bitten whole
- Sticky foods: toffee, caramel, chewy lollies and chewing gum
- Chewy foods: tough meat, bagels and hard pizza crust
- Foods you bite into: whole apples, corn on the cob and meat on the bone. Cut these up first.
- Sugary and acidic drinks: soft drink, sports drinks and juice, which cause decay and white marks around the brackets
What to eat in the first week
Teeth are often tender for a few days after braces are fitted or adjusted. Soft foods such as soup, yoghurt, scrambled eggs, pasta and smoothies are easiest until the tenderness settles.
What if a bracket or wire breaks?
Contact your orthodontist to have it repaired. If a wire is rubbing, cover the end with orthodontic wax until you can be seen. Broken brackets slow treatment down, which is the main reason for the food rules.
What about clear aligners?
Aligners are taken out to eat, so there are no food restrictions. You do need to brush before putting them back in, and you should not chew gum or drink anything other than water while wearing them. At Penrith Dental Care we provide orthodontic treatment with Invisalign and clear aligners for suitable patients. We do not fit fixed braces. See orthodontic treatment in Penrith and our guide to braces.
FAQs
Can you eat chips with braces?
Soft hot chips are fine. Hard, crunchy chips and corn chips can break brackets, so eat them carefully or avoid them.
Can you eat chocolate with braces?
Plain soft chocolate is fine in moderation. Avoid chocolate with nuts, toffee or caramel.
Can you eat popcorn with braces?
It is suitable avoided. Unpopped kernels break brackets and the husks lodge under the wire and gum.
Check-ups during orthodontic treatment
Braces make teeth harder to clean, so regular check-ups and cleans matter even more during treatment. Book a check-up at Penrith Dental Care.
This article is general information only and does not replace an assessment with a registered dental practitioner.
Looking for more dental health tips? Browse all articles on the Penrith Dental Care blog, or meet the Penrith Dental Care team. Have a question? See our dental FAQ.
Reviewed by Mina Gibryal, Penrith Dental Care, October 2026. This article is general information and does not replace advice from your own dental practitioner.