The most significant day-to-day adjustment when wearing braces is having to follow the dietary recommendations for things you are allowed to consume. Most dentists or orthodontists will recommend avoiding foods that are crunchy and hard so as not to break or damage the braces. Ensuring that your braces stay in optimal condition is vital since breakages and deformed wires can delay the treatment process.
While chewing gum is not sold in Singapore, some people still delight in getting them when they travel overseas. However, there are also certain exceptions to this prohibition, such as dental, and therapeutic chewing gum, which can be purchased from a registered pharmacy. However, do you know that chewy foods, such as chewing gum, is also one of the “best to avoid” foods? Why is it so? In this post, we will dive deeper to find out.
Why should you not be chewing gum while wearing braces?
While some kinds of chewing gum are neither hard nor crunchy, many might assume that they would not break or damage the braces. However, the reason why they are best avoided is that they might get stuck to your braces. It can be rather hard to remove them if they get stuck to your braces, and any attempt to remove them might result in accidental damage to your orthodontic wires, especially for lingual braces, which are attached to the back of your teeth. Such invisible braces cost more – they are more expensive to install and maintain, so it is best to avoid damaging them.
Such damages might seem insignificant at first sight but can side-track your treatment progress. Even the slightest bend to your wires can result in your teeth moving off their intended treatment path. Additionally, if you do not notice the damage and seek proper repair with your orthodontist, your teeth will only continue to deviate from their desired position. Hence, more time would be needed to fix your braces and readjust your teeth again.
Are there alternatives to chewing gum while wearing braces?
Typical reasons for chewing gum, as mentioned above, could be alleviating nervousness, curbing a nicotine habit, or freshening your breath. In those situations, if really necessary, there are braces-friendly alternatives, such as:
- To alleviate nerves: Try breathing in calming essential oil scents, such as sandalwood or lavender; they have a soothing effect. Alternatively, you could also stretch gently or take slow deep breaths and meditate.
- To curb a nicotine habit: There are many non-gum alternatives, such as inhalers and patches.
- To freshen breath: Try sugar-free mouth sprays or mints to freshen your breath, such as those containing Xylitol. Alternatively, you may also drink water infused with various citrus fruits, which not only freshens your breath but also rinses and hydrates your mouth at the same time.
What happens if I chew gum while wearing braces and it gets stuck?
At the end of the day, while it is best to avoid chewing gum while wearing braces, the ultimate decision is yours to make. Should you decide to go ahead and pop that gum in your mouth, and it ends up getting stuck in your braces, here is what you can do.
Use your toothbrush to try to get as much gum off as possible. While doing so, take care to scrub at it in a gentle manner, as you do not want to damage your braces. For gum stuck in between your teeth or around your brackets, using dental floss or toothpick in a careful manner can help to pick it out. You might want to consider another round of gentle brushing should you still have some gum left attached. However, the best approach is to visit your orthodontist immediately or as soon as you can.
Nevertheless, even if you are able to remove it on your own, do let your orthodontist know of the gum situation so that they are able to check that no damage was done to your braces that might delay your treatment progress.
Conclusion
It is best to avoid chewing gum while wearing braces to prevent unnecessary delay in your treatment progress. If you have any other braces-related questions, such as “Can I then chew gum while wearing Invisalign?” (The answer is yes), BigSmile Dental Clinic is here to answer all your braces-related queries and help you make sound decisions to care for them.
Contact us at +65 6734 0007 to make an appointment or find out more about our various orthodontic services at https://www.bigsmile.com.sg/.
Location
10 Sinaran Drive, #11-18
Novena Medical Centre
Singapore 307506