Gum chewing is one of the worst things for your braces and needs to be avoided. Nail biting, pencil chewing, and putting non-edible items in your mouth can damage your braces. Certain foods such as meat on the bone, corn on the cob, crusty bread, and sticky or chewy candies should be avoided. Foods that are normally hard to chew can cause damage to your orthodontic appliances. The day we put on your braces, we will provide you with a list of foods to avoid, but this is only a partial list. Use common sense when selecting foods to eat and this should limit any problems.