Having a loose bracket after eating sweets? Just about everybody has a sweet tooth, and even though we know candies and other sugary snacks aren’t good for teeth, a life without any sweet indulgences would be pretty dull. Most of us can enjoy occasional sweet treats without increasing the risk of decay as long as we brush and floss afterward. But for those with braces, it can be a very different story. That’s because some candies and snack foods can do more than increase your risk of tooth decay – they can also damage your braces and cause loose bracket or loose bands. Pretty much everyone knows chewing gum should be avoided while you’re wearing braces, but there are some other popular snacks that can be just as bad. If you have braces or braces are in your future, here are the top snacks to avoid until after your treatment is completed:

Caramels

Like chewing gum, caramels can become stuck in and around your brackets, sometimes even causing damage to wires and the tiny rings used to adjust them. Because cleaning teeth can be a little more work when braces are worn, it’s also much easier for caramel to stick to areas that are hardest to clean, increasing the risk of developing cavities.

Salt Water Taffy

Thanks to its super-sticky composition, this popular summertime treat causes the same sorts of problems as caramels and gum, getting trapped inside and around brackets and even placing additional pressures on the archwires that connect them. Like caramels, taffy can also become lodged between teeth in areas that are difficult to reach with a toothbrush, increasing the likelihood a cavity will develop.

Popcorn (Candy-coated and Plain)

Popcorn – especially the air-popped variety – is often touted as a good snack. But those little kernels can wreak havoc with your braces, lodging between teeth where they can cause irritation and outright pain. Biting down on a kernel can also cause loose brackets.

Hard Candy

This one surprises a lot of people; after all, hard candies dissolve in your mouth, so what’s the problem? Actually, as long as you let the candies dissolve completely, you’re probably OK (just remember to brush afterward). The problems occur when you bite down on hard candies. Biting and chewing hard candies can break or bend brackets (loose bracket) and the tiny rings used to adjust your archwires. So if you must have hard candies, be sure you don’t chew on them. The same goes for ice.

Damaging your brackets or developing a cavity isn’t just inconvenient – it can also lengthen your treatment time. You don’t need to avoid all sweet snacks while you’re wearing braces – just use some common sense and avoid those that are sticky, overly crunchy or hard to chew and bite. Even without braces, those are some pretty good tips to follow to help preserve the health of your teeth and gums.