Short answer. Regular sugared gum, no. Sugar-free gum, only if your orthodontist allows it. Sugared gum sticks to brackets and feeds the bacteria that cause cavities and white marks around them. Sugar-free gum is less clear: in a randomized trial of 1,000 teenagers it did not increase broken brackets and it reduced the need for pain medicine. Many orthodontists, Limestone Hills included, still ask patients to skip gum while braces are on. Never chew gum with clear aligners or a removable retainer in your mouth.
By Rodrigo F. Viecilli, DDS, PhD, board-certified orthodontist at Limestone Hills Orthodontics in Austin, TX, who has treated more than 5,000 patients.
The answer by appliance
| Appliance | Gum? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Metal or ceramic braces | Sugared: no. Sugar-free: ask your orthodontist | Gum wraps around brackets and wires. Sugar adds decay risk |
| Braces with an expander or bite turbos | No | Gum packs under the appliance where a brush cannot reach |
| Clear aligners | Never with the aligners in. Sugar-free is fine while they are out | Gum sticks to the plastic and can crack or warp a tray |
| Removable retainer | Never with the retainer in | Same as aligners |
| Bonded retainer behind the teeth | Sugar-free is fine | The wire is small and smooth. Clean around it afterward |
Why most orthodontists say no
- It sticks. Gum wraps around brackets, hooks and wires and has to be picked out.
- It can distort a light wire. The first wires in treatment are thin and flexible. A wad of gum pulling on one can bend it, and a bent wire moves teeth the wrong way.
- Sugar. Regular gum bathes the brackets in sugar for as long as it is chewed. Plaque around brackets turns that into acid, which leaves permanent white marks on the enamel.
- The rule is simple to follow. No gum is easier to remember than a list of which gum, when.
What the research found
The best evidence is a randomized trial run in nine orthodontic centers in England and published in 2016. One thousand patients aged 11 to 17 who were getting upper and lower braces were assigned either to chew sugar-free gum for soreness or to take ibuprofen.
- Pain scores were about the same in both groups.
- The gum group took ibuprofen less often: on average 2.1 times after the braces went on, against 3.0 times in the other group.
- Broken appliances were no more common with gum: 7% of the gum group against 8.8% of the ibuprofen group after placement, and 4.2% against 5.5% after the first wire change. The differences were not statistically significant.
So the common claim that sugar-free gum breaks braces is not supported by the largest trial on the question. Two limits matter. The trial covered the days after the braces were placed and after the first wire change, not a full 18 to 24 months of treatment. And it tested sugar-free gum only.
The rule at Limestone Hills
Limestone Hills asks patients not to chew gum while braces are on, sugar-free included, unless Dr. Viecilli tells you otherwise for your case. Gum is on the practice’s list of foods to avoid with braces. Practices that keep this rule despite the trial usually give three reasons: treatment lasts far longer than the weeks the trial studied, many patients have expanders, hooks or bite turbos that trap gum, and in daily life sugar-free gum tends to become whatever gum is on hand.
If your own orthodontist allows sugar-free gum, follow that advice. They know which appliances are in your mouth.
If you already chewed gum with braces
- Do not panic. One piece of gum rarely does damage.
- Remove what is stuck. Brush, then use an interdental brush or a floss threader around each bracket. A water flosser helps.
- Check the hardware. Look for a bracket that slides on the wire or a wire that is bent or out of its slot.
- Call if something is loose. If everything looks normal, mention it at your next visit.
More help in how to remove food from braces and what to do about a broken bracket.
Gum with Invisalign or a retainer
Take the trays out first, every time. Gum bonds to aligner plastic, and chewing on a tray can crack it or change its fit. With the aligners out, sugar-free gum is fine. Rinse or brush before the trays go back in, and remember that time out of the mouth counts against the 20 to 22 hours a day that clear aligners need. The same applies to a removable retainer.
What to do instead
- For fresh breath: brush after meals, rinse with water, or let a sugar-free mint dissolve without biting it.
- For sore teeth: cold water, soft food and an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen, taken as the label directs. See the first-week soft food plan.
- For a dry mouth: sip water through the day.
Common questions about gum and braces
Can you chew sugar-free gum with braces?
Only if your orthodontist says so. A large trial found sugar-free gum did not increase broken brackets, and some orthodontists allow it. Others, Limestone Hills included, ask patients to avoid all gum because it sticks to appliances and is hard to clean off.
What happens if you chew gum with braces?
Usually the gum sticks to the brackets and wires and has to be cleaned out. Less often it bends a thin wire or loosens a bracket. Sugared gum also raises the risk of cavities and white marks around the brackets.
Can you chew gum with Invisalign?
Not with the aligners in. Gum sticks to the plastic and can damage a tray. Take the aligners out, chew sugar-free gum, then rinse or brush before putting them back.
Can you chew gum with a permanent retainer?
Yes, sugar-free gum is fine with a bonded retainer. Clean around the wire afterward, and tell your orthodontist if the wire ever feels loose.
Does chewing gum help with braces pain?
It may. In a trial of 1,000 teenagers, those who chewed sugar-free gum reported about the same pain as those who took ibuprofen and needed ibuprofen less often. Ask your orthodontist before trying it.
Limestone Hills Orthodontics is on RM 2222 in Northwest Austin. New patients can book a free orthodontic consultation, and current patients with a question about braces can call (512) 720-6399.
Sources. Ireland AJ, Ellis P, Jordan A, et al. Comparative assessment of chewing gum and ibuprofen in the management of orthodontic pain with fixed appliances: a pragmatic multicenter randomized controlled trial. Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2016;150(2):220-227. doi:10.1016/j.ajodo.2016.02.018. American Association of Orthodontists, What Can I Eat with Braces? (aaoinfo.org/blog/what-can-i-eat-with-braces). Practice rules from Limestone Hills Orthodontics, Austin, TX.
