Why is popcorn bad for braces?

According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, patients with orthodontics need to avoid hard foods like popcorn because it can become lodged in the braces. Popcorn is even capable of breaking braces.

Braces are very delicate and hard or sticky foods often cause them to break. The American Dental Association explains that any food that forces the patient to bite into it is a danger to braces and other orthodontic or dental devices. The WVU Health Sciences Center also recommends patients with braces reduce the amount of sugar they eat, as it is difficult to remove all traces of the food from areas of the teeth covered by them.