Can You Eat Beef Jerky with Braces? Foods You Should Avoid

I’ve had braces before, I know how difficult it is to keep them clean and how you have to be careful what you eat and drink.

I was discussing this with a friend recently who has just had braces and we were going through all the different foods you can and can’t eat when she told me what her favorite snacking food was.

Beef jerky….

I had to give her the bad news that beef jerky is one of the most difficult foods to eat with braces and just not a good idea at all.

When wearing braces you have to avoid any foods that can get stuck or caught up in your braces.

So stringy or tough meats are a definite no.

It’s just not worth it as it can damage your braces and send you back to your dentist for an adjustment and possibly damage the progress of your correctional treatment.

Foods to Avoid Eating When Wearing Braces

Here some of the more common foods to avoid eating while wearing braces:

Hard foods – Anything that has a real crunch to it such as crusty bread, raw vegetables, sweets, etc.

Sticky foods – Any sweets that are sticky can cause a serious problem and should be avoided, other sticky foods can be a nightmare to clean out too.

Tough foods – Tough foods like meats that require some force to tear should be avoided. This includes beef jerky as discussed above.

Chewy objects – We often forget that it’s not just foods that we bite or chew on. Get out of any bad habits you have for chewing things you’re holding.

It takes a little extra care and attention, but it’s worth it for that smile that everyone will be jealous of when the braces come off.

If you love beef jerky as much as my friend done, I’m sorry but it’s definitely one of the foods you should avoid eating while wearing braces.