Good dietary habits are essential for maintaining good oral health, regardless of whether you are undergoing orthodontic care or not. Many change their dietary habits once they start wearing orthodontic appliances when they should already have had these habits since they were kids. Anyone who’s not careful with their diet could eventually develop a dental issue severe enough to require some type of intervention. The probability of a situation like this happening is greater for those who wear orthodontic appliances, so what should their diet consist of? Here we’ll give you some guidelines for you to have the best diet for braces possible.

What Food Can I Eat With Traditional Braces?

Everyone knows that once you get braces, you will have to follow your diet to the letter if you want the best results as fast as possible. The diet itself, however, is sometimes overstated. Patients with braces can mostly return to their regular diet while only excluding meals and snacks that can harm your appliance.

If you are currently wearing braces, you can still enjoy all your typical protein sources, like chicken, eggs, fish, tofu, and even beef. Remember to cut them into small, easy-to-digest pieces. On the same note, soft fruits and vegetables are also great options. Boil or cook the vegetables until they’re tender or soft, and always cut harder fruits like apples before eating. Try to avoid digging into food with your front teeth as much as possible.

Here is a small list of food items you can eat during your time with braces.

• Mashed potatoes,
• Soup,
• Sweet potatoes,
• Fish,
• Eggs,
• Soft cheeses,
• Pasta,
• Seafood,
• Smoothies,
• Oats and Oatmeal,
• Soft desserts (occasionally),
• Yogurt.

Braces-Friendly Food You Can Eat With Braces on the First Week

On your first week with braces, your teeth and gums will be sore and sensitive due to the appliance putting constant pressure on them. After a few weeks, it’ll stop being bothersome; until then, it’s best to avoid some foods that you’ll otherwise be able to eat later on in your treatment. Acidic, spicy, too hot, or food too cold can all be uncomfortable for you during these first few days or weeks. Remember that every patient is different from the other, so don’t worry if you feel uncomfortable the first one or two weeks after you get your braces.

On the other hand, there are many great dishes and meals that you can have during this period. Some great soft foods you can enjoy without chewing too much are soups, mashed potatoes, oatmeal, pudding, applesauce, stew, yogurt, rice, and much more. As a guideline, try to go for meals that don’t require the least amount of chewing possible.

What Are Some School Lunch Ideas for Kids With Braces?

Most orthodontic patients are kids and teenagers that are still going to school, and they must follow their diet outside the house as well. Parents have the not-so-easy job of finding a balance between delicious, healthy, and braces-safe treats for their kids to enjoy. Here are a couple of options for tasty meals that won’t damage your braces.

Chocolate Tofu Pudding

Chocolate Tofu Pudding is perfect for those who wear braces and crave a sweet snack. The texture of the pudding won’t damage your kid’s orthodontics in any way, and as a bonus, the added tofu is a great protein source for your child. Just be careful not to make this dessert too often, as sugar can have a negative impact on your kid’s oral health.

Smoothies

Smoothies are one of the best foods you can have while wearing braces. Its texture doesn’t damage the appliance, and given that you don’t have to chew, you can have it right after your treatment begins or after a tightening appointment when your teeth and gums are most likely to be sore. Here are a few smoothies recipes for you to try!

What Not to Eat With Braces?

The short answer is to avoid sticky, crunchy, and hard or chewy foods. You need to follow a diet while wearing braces for two main reasons. One of them is to avoid damage to your appliances. Hard, sticky, and crunchy foods can all break a wire or dislodge a bracket from a tooth which then requires an emergency appointment with your orthodontist. Continuous impromptu visits can delay the effects of your braces and extend the length of orthodontic treatments. Another reason is oral hygiene, any orthodontic appliance will make brushing and flossing properly more difficult, so it’s best to avoid foods that tend to get stuck in between the wires and teeth.

Additionally, sugary foods are something that you will want to avoid as much as possible. Although ice cream and sodas won’t directly damage your braces, sugar reacts with bacteria and saliva in your mouth to create plaque. Plaque is a sticky substance that can erode the outer layer of your teeth if left undisturbed. Given that it will be more difficult to clean plaque with braces, try to avoid its accumulation by consuming as few sugary foods as possible.

A few examples of foods to avoid are the following.

• Hard crackers,
• Nuts,
• Chewing gum,
• Hard, chewy candy,
• Corn on the cob,
• Popcorn,
• Bagels,
• Crunchy or hard vegetables and fruits,
• Crunchy peanut butter,
• Tough meat or that requires bitting into,
• Pizza crust,
• Pretzels,
• Hard taco shells,
• Chips,
• Nuts,
• Biting into ice.

Get Your Orthodontic Care With Us

If you are looking for Santa Monica Dentistry for Children, then you’re in luck. Here at Abraham Orthodontics, we are ready to help you with any questions you may have or any orthodontic treatments you may need for you or your kids. Schedule an appointment with us here whenever you need it, and we’ll get working on your kid’s smile.