Avoid any foods that are sticky or chewy. Soft and easy to chew foods are your friend, and they will help you avoid getting food stuck in your braces.
Fruits, vegetables, hard candies, and other foods with hard or tough textures should be avoided at all costs while you are wearing braces. There are many foods that you should avoid, and many that can not only help to make your braces more comfortable, but also less noticeable.
Foods that are chewy and tough should be avoided at all costs, since they can work their way into your braces, giving bacteria a place to hide and leading to the formation of plaque. Mashing up soft foods is one of the most important parts of following a soft diet with braces.
If you don’t mash up what you eat, the food could get stuck between your teeth or below your brackets. The brackets and wires that attach to your teeth essentially become permanent fixtures.
But if you’re diligent about avoiding the things that can damage your braces namely, anything sticky, hard, or sweet. However, the best way to avoid future damage to your braces is to keep them clean.
As soon as you’re done eating a meal, be sure to brush your teeth. While you’re at it, floss as well. The process might take a few extra minutes, but the payoff is worth it.
What can you eat the first week of braces?
The first week of wearing braces can be a little daunting brushing and flossing have become more involved, and eating is no longer a carefree experience. When you start wearing braces, you have two options:
- you can either continue to eat the same foods you were eating before you got braces
- or you can follow a soft-food diet
The first option is easier, but it doesn’t prevent food from getting stuck in your braces, which can lead to discomfort. The second option will get food out of your braces, but it may be more challenging to follow.
The first week of wearing braces is usually the worst. Your teeth are tender, your mouth hurts more than it ever did before, and you can’t eat more than soup. Avoid hard foods like nuts, crustaceans, pomegranate, and popcorn. Your teeth are still fragile.
How to eat with braces
It can be tricky to eat with braces, but there are a few things you can do to make it easier. The first thing you should do is make sure your teeth are properly aligned, since that will make it easier to chew and swallow food.
Next, avoid sticky, chewy foods like gum, caramel, and hard candy, since they can get stuck between your braces and your gums. Drinking with braces can be a challenge.
To prevent spills and minimize pain, it’s important to practice good technique. Knowing what foods you can and cannot eat with braces is essential to having a healthy diet and avoiding many common problems, such as cavities and tooth decay.
While some foods that you love to eat may be hard to enjoy with braces, there are plenty of alternatives. Try switching up your favorite recipes to make them “braces-friendly” by substituting ingredients, removing certain foods from the recipe, or avoiding certain foods altogether.
What should you eat when you have braces
If you have braces, you know how hard it can be to eat. You can’t just consume whatever you want without thinking.
In fact, you have to be pretty careful about what you eat. For example, hard foods can damage the wires and brackets or get stuck in the brackets, and soft foods get stuck in the brackets, too.
(If that happens, you’ll need to go back to your orthodontist to have it removed.) As a result, many people with braces choose to eat soft foods, like:
- yogurt
- mashed potatoes
- oatmeal
- scrambled eggs
- pancake
- cooked fruits
- bananas
- tofu
- macaroni and cheese
- avocado
- smoothies
- ice cream
- milk shake
- applesauce
- pudding
Braces that involve elastics (rubber bands) mean you’ll have to watch what you eat. Metal braces with wires, however, mean you’ll be on a soft, sticky foods diet for a week. Eating healthy is important for everyone, but it is even more important when you have braces.
If you’re wearing braces, you know how important it is to eat healthy foods that will not cause food from getting stuck in your braces. It is important to eat balanced meals at each of your meals. You should never eat too quickly, and you should always chew food well.
What should you NOT eat when you have braces
Braces, also known as orthodontic appliances, are used to correct and improve the alignment of teeth in the mouth. Most orthodontic appliances are made of metal, ceramic, or plastic, and are made in several different styles to correct different kinds of tooth alignment issues and bite problems.
While most people think that teeth only move up, down, and sideways, in reality, the jaw also moves forward and backward. This is why, when you have braces on, you are told to avoid chewing gum, sticky foods, and hard foods. Doing so can cause problems with your teeth and it can also cause problems with your braces.
A few of the most common foods to avoid with braces include:
- Popcorn
- Ice
- nuts
- chewing gum
- hard candies
- pizza crust
- acidic food
- chips
How do you brush with braces?
Braces and other orthodontic devices can cause quite a bit of pain and discomfort to the wearer. There are many different foods that can cause problems when your mouth is in this condition, so it is important to be vigilant in the foods that you choose.
They involve the attachment of brackets to the molars and/or the front teeth, which are then connected with elastics that move the teeth into their correct positions for the wearer. Braces can take many months to complete, and during this time it is important to remember that your teeth are not the only thing that need to be looked after.
Your gums, tongue and cheeks must also be protected from damage. Brushing with braces can be a hassle, but it is necessary to keep your teeth and gums clean. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to thoroughly clean your teeth.
It is important to get the toothpaste in between your teeth and all around the braces. Many braces have rubber-like covers over the metal wires to protect them from damage. Use soft-bristled toothbrush to gently clean these covers as well.
Want to learn what to eat with temporary veneers? Check out our guide next.
