I recently got my braces and am following a list of what i can eat and what not !

I recently got my braces and am following a list of what i can eat and what not to eat... HELP!?

ok.. i got braces and i'm not sure if the following things can be eaten:

* oranges- i'm not sure because I can't eat acidic food like lemons and sour fruit.

*kiwi fruit- same as above.

*candy & sugar- this is a myth because my friends eat lollies with braces and nothing much happens. they say it's because of tooth decay (bad!).


i'll add more details when i remember what else I have thought of! thanks.

Although patients are able to eat or drink many foods while in orthodontic treatment, there are certain eating habits that are known to cause breakage of orthodontic appliances and braces as well as increasing the risk of dental problems
Remember, teeth move their best in a healthy environment and in individuals with excellent overall dental heath. Patient cooperation is key to successful orthodontics.
Food and drink your dentist has suggested may cause dental decay should be restricted while wearing braces. Sticky foods are to be avoided because of the increased risk of dental decay and appliance breakage. These foods stick to your braces and remain on your teeth for long periods of time. If foods or drinks high in sugar content are to be consumed, we advise having them with regular meals or at one given time of day. Please make sure that careful brushing and rinsing take place immediately afterwards. Snacks should be confined to foods without refined sugar and should be followed by brushing or vigorous rinsing if a toothbrush is unavailable.
Wearing braces limits the foods that you are permitted to eat. Improper foods can bend and distort wires causing treatment delays and extra visits for repairs. In general hard, brittle, crunchy and sticky foods should NOT be eaten during orthodontic treatment. Hard crunchy foods can bend a and break the braces and wires, while sticky foods may loosen them. Certain foods may be eaten if they are prepared in a special way. Whole fruits and vegetables or any raw foods such as apples, celery and carrots should be sliced and eaten carefully. Hard crusty breads should be broken and eaten in small pieces. Corn may be eaten if sliced off the cob. Meat should be cut off the bone.
Do not suck on lemons or limes (citric acid in juice can dissolve tooth enamel) and especially do not suck or chew ice cubes. Chewing ice cubes can be very destructive to your appliances and teeth. Keep fingernails, pencils and other objects out of your mouth. Do not put anything in your mouth that may tend to end, break, pry, pull or knock off the braces. Popcorn can cause harm in multiple ways. The husks from the popcorn can become lodged beneath the braces and cause irritation of the gum tissue. Unpopped kernels can shear or break off brackets as well as bend or dislodge wires.
No matter what you eat, please clean the teeth and gum tissue thoroughly after eating any food and especially before bedtime.
types of foods to avoid or adjust before eating:
Hard Foods:
Popcorn
Whole Nuts,whole sunflower seeds
Ice
Hard candy, peanut brittle, Airheads
Hard cookies, try dunking them in milk!

Hard corn chips
Candied apples
Corn-on-the-cob
Raw vegetables & fruits, cut them up, steam or stir-fry

Sticky Foods:
Fruit Roll-ups
Gummy bears
Taffy and Caramels
Starburst, DOTS, Carmel Apple Suckers
Bit-O-Honeys, Look, Mike & Ike's, Sugar Babies
Skittles
Milk Duds etc.
Sticky, sugar gum, sugarless gum is allowed, but not with biteplanes or seperators.
Be careful with these foods:
Carrots - grate or cut into tiny pieces
Apples - cut into squares - don't bite
Hard French bread and bagels - tear into small pieces
Limit foods with a high sugar content
The acids produced by high sugar content foods can attack for twenty minutes or more each time you eat. So, the best time to eat carbohydrates or other sugary foods is during a meal. The mouth produces more saliva during a meal which, in turn, helps to neutralize acid production and rinse food from the mouth. If possible, brush immediately after eating. If it is not possible to do so, rinsing with clear water will help.