Can You Eat Popcorn With Braces? What Types To Eat and What To Avoid!

Popcorn may be the first thing that comes to mind when you're in the mood for a fluffy, salty, and light snack.

But, can you eat popcorn while wearing braces?

Unfortunately, popcorn is firmly placed on the list of things to stay away from while you undergo orthodontics treatment.

In this article, we’ll cover the following:

• Can you eat popcorn with braces?
• Is there a type of popcorn you can eat with braces?
• Why you can't eat popcorn with braces

Now let's look at why you shouldn't consume popcorn while wearing braces. We'll also talk about some alternative foods.

Also, consider reading the following:

• 20 food you should avoid with braces
• 15 best soft foods you can eat with braces

Can you eat popcorn with braces?

No, you can't eat popcorn with braces. Popcorn is at the top of the restricted foods lists with braces — the husks will get stuck in your wires and the kernels can break your braces right off.

We know: popcorn is one of our favorite foods, too! But as much as we love popcorn, we love beautiful, healthy teeth more. So for the duration of your braces treatment, we recommend avoiding popcorn. In this video, Diamond Braces orthodontist Dr. John Castronova explains why you should avoid popcorn with braces. Think about what happens when you chomp down on popcorn: the pieces break into many pieces, and you often bite down onto un-popped kernels. Even without braces, you’ve probably found that popcorn pieces get stuck in your teeth, requiring a toothpick or floss to get out. With braces on, the popcorn fragments have even more places to get stuck – and the many hiding place between your brackets and wires are often difficult to reach, making it much harder to clean out. The hulls and kernels are the perfect size to get wedged in hard-to-reach parts of your braces. You probably dislike having popcorn stuck in your braces, but there’s one thing that loves it: bacteria. Any food trapped between your teeth or in your braces is a breeding ground for bacteria, which can cause plaque buildup on your teeth and damage them. Keeping your teeth clean and free of trapped food is vital to a healthy mouth and effective braces treatment! It can be frustrating to miss out on your favorite foods during your braces treatment. But the better you care for your braces while they’re on, the sooner you can enjoy your amazing new smile when they’re off – and the longer your health will last! Read the whole article from Diamond Braces: https://diamondbraces.com/video-faqs/can-i-eat-popcorn-with-braces/ Learn more about common foods to look out for with braces: https://diamondbraces.com/video-faqs/can-i-eat-an-apple-with-braces/ Tips for foods that help freshen your breath: https://diamondbraces.com/tips/6-foods-to-keep-your-breath-fresh/

Is popcorn bad for braces?

Yes, popcorn is bad for braces. The popcorn hulls can get stuck under the wires and wedged between the brackets and the teeth, and are extremely difficult to remove. This can cause you discomfort and pain.

Why can’t you eat popcorn with braces?

The corn hulls are the main factor why you can’t eat popcorn with braces. These hulls may easily become stuck between your teeth and the braces wire. They may also be exceedingly challenging to get rid of.

Popcorn hulls can have sharp edges, which might cause them to rub up against your gums if they get caught between the wires of your braces.

While you should generally keep clear of all popcorn variants, some are worse than others for people wearing braces. For instance, coated popcorn (like caramel popcorn) is especially dangerous since the caramel's crispy, sticky shell can also stick to your braces.

Best popcorn for braces

We've just mentioned that you cannot eat popcorn with braces. It is true that ordinary popcorn kernels are tough and may break braces or even get lodged beneath the gums and infect them.

Hulless popcorn, on the other hand, is made from a smaller kernel that is more tender and less harmful to braces and teeth. You may eat this type of popcorn if you are careful.

What snacks to eat instead

There are plenty of good snack alternatives to popcorn. A few of them are:

• Cheese slices
• Soft crackers
• Baked potato chips
• Soft baked cookies
• Muffins
• Soft fruits like strawberries, or bananas
• Yogurt

Conclusion

You are not supposed to eat popcorn with braces. The reason for this is that the hull of the popcorn can get stuck under wires and between teeth and is difficult to remove. Plus the kernels can break your braces.

It's best to find alternative snacks while you're wearing braces.

If you really don't want to give up on eating popcorn and other crunchy snacks, consider switching to removable invisible braces. You can take them off before eating, so you can enjoy eating popcorn or any other sticky food.

There are numerous invisible aligner providers available, such as Byte, AlignerCo, Candid Aligners, ClearCorrect, and the well-known brand Invisalign.

FAQ

I ate popcorn with braces – what now?

If you ate popcorn while wearing braces, carefully check to see if there is anything stuck between your teeth and wires. Use a water flosser. See a dentist if anything got stuck under the wire.

What popcorn can you eat with braces?

In general, you should stay clear of all types of popcorn. However, if you really want to eat popcorn, you can consider trying hulless popcorn since it is less harmful to your braces.

Can you eat caramel popcorn with braces?

Caramel popcorn can be harmful to your braces in two ways. The kernels can get stuck between your teeth and the wires. In addition, the caramel is very sticky and can damage your brackets.

Can you eat movie theater popcorn with braces?

You should avoid eating movie theater popcorn with braces. It can be harmful and potentially knock off your brackets and wires. It's recommended to eat alternative snacks or hulless popcorn.

Can you eat hull-less popcorn with braces?

When wearing braces, it's recommended to stay away from all kinds of popcorn, as they can be sticky and damage your brackets. However, hulless popcorn can be less harmful to braces.