Langley Orthodontist Dr. Aly Kanani Explains How to Prevent Food from Being Trapped in Braces

LANGLEY, British Columbia - Jan. 9, 2017 - PRLog -- Traditional braces are an effective method for straightening teeth, but many orthodontic patients complain that food gets trapped between the metal brackets and wires.

Langley orthodontist Dr. Aly Kanani says that while some foods should be avoided if patients want food-free braces, it's more about how foods are eaten rather than what foods are eaten that makes the difference.

Here are Dr. Kanani's suggestions for keeping food particles from ruining a beautiful braces smile.

Foods to Limit or Avoid: The Langley orthodontics specialist never likes to tell patients to refrain from eating their favorite foods. He does tell patients to limit some foods in order to avoid the problem of left-behind food particles.

The foods patients should limit include corn on the cob, sticky candy, tough meats, hard rolls, pizza crust, carrots, apples, taffy, toffy, pretzels, popcorn, and nuts.

"These foods, while they can be fun to eat, tend to leave little bits behind between braces wires and brackets, and can be a pain to remove," says Dr. Kanani.

Cut Into Smaller Bits: When orthodontic patients absolutely have to have a food that's crunchy, sticky, or hard, patients should try cutting the food into smaller pieces, as doing so can sometimes keep foods from sticking.

Go for Softer Foods: Rice can be kept from sticking by boiling it longer than usual. The same with pasta. The softer a food is, the easier it will be able to chew, and the less likely it is to stick around for later in your braces.

Chew with Molars: Braces wearers should attempt to chew food with the back teeth instead of the front if food getting trapped in braces poses a problem.

"The back teeth are intended for chewing, so let them do their jobs," Dr. Kanani suggests. He adds that chewing food with the front teeth is typically what causes food particles to be left behind.

Rinse, Brush, and Floss: Even if food isn't noticeable in braces, patients should rinse with water or an oral rinse, brush, and floss after every meal. The sugars in foods can get trapped around the brackets attached to teeth. Though the sugar isn't noticeable, it can cause staining and tooth decay if the patient isn't vigilant.

Dr. Kanani says, "By brushing and flossing after every meal, patients can enjoy a radiant smile free of crumbs no matter when or what they choose to eat.

"Patients can also opt to wear Invisalign instead of braces, which can be removed to eat, meaning patients can eat anything they desire before putting their aligner trays back in."

To learn more about wearing braces or Invisalign(http://www.langleyorthodontics.com/site/invisalign-adults...), or to schedule a consultation with Langley's leading orthodontist, contact Dr. Kanani and his team of specialists at Langley Orthodontics today.

About Us: Langley Orthodontics(http://www.langleyorthodontics.com/site/contact-map-langl...) and Dr. Aly Kanani, along with his friendly orthodontists and staff, provide compassionate and personalized orthodontics and Invisalign treatment to patients in Langley and Surrey, BC.