Getting braces requires dietary adjustments to protect the hardware. A common question concerns popular dishes like orange chicken, due to its unique textures. This article explores the specific components of orange chicken and provides guidelines for safely navigating this meal while undergoing orthodontic treatment.
Identifying the Potential Hazards in Orange Chicken
Orange chicken presents two distinct mechanical challenges for orthodontic appliances. The first concern is the thick, sugary glaze that coats the fried chicken. This sticky, viscous sauce easily adheres to brackets and wires. The pulling force exerted during chewing can potentially loosen a bracket’s bond or bend the archwire, prolonging treatment time.
The second risk is the deep-fried, crunchy exterior. Biting down on a hard or overly crispy piece applies sudden pressure that can cause a bracket to snap off or become dislodged. While the soft interior meat is safe, the hardened shell threatens the integrity of the hardware. Eating orange chicken is possible, but it requires careful modification to mitigate these risks.
Fundamental Braces Diet Rules
General guidelines for eating with braces protect the appliance from destructive mechanical forces. Foods are categorized based on the specific damage they inflict on brackets and wires.
Hard and Crunchy Foods
Hard and crunchy items, such as nuts, hard candies, or thick chips, are avoided. They create an intense, sharp force upon biting that can break the cement bond holding a bracket to the tooth surface.
Chewy and Sticky Foods
Chewy and sticky foods, like caramels, apply a sustained, tensile force to the appliance. Their gummy nature allows them to wrap around the wires and brackets, and the pulling action can dislodge a bracket or bend a wire. These foods also leave sugar residues that are difficult to clean, increasing the risk of plaque buildup and tooth decay.
Foods Requiring Front Biting
This category includes foods that necessitate biting with the front teeth, such as whole apples or corn on the cob. Using the incisors to shear off food generates a lever-like force strong enough to pop off the front brackets. Individuals must adjust their eating habits to avoid these three types of mechanical stress.
Techniques for Safely Eating Risky Foods
Consuming foods like orange chicken safely requires modifying the physical process of eating. The most effective technique is to use a knife and fork to cut the chicken into small, manageable pieces. These pieces should be placed directly onto the back molars for chewing, completely bypassing the front teeth and brackets.
When cutting, inspect and discard any segments of the chicken that appear overly hard, burnt, or crunchy, focusing only on the softer interior meat. The rice served alongside orange chicken poses no risk to the braces. After the meal, immediate and thorough cleaning is necessary to remove the sugary, sticky glaze from all surfaces of the brackets and wires. This hygiene practice helps prevent the prolonged acidic environment that can lead to decalcification or cavities.