In this post, we’ll discuss foods to eat with braces. By sticking to general rules, you can ensure your treatment goes faster and more comfortably. Then, when your braces come off, you can enjoy the foods you have been avoiding.
On the other hand, if you eat foods that can damage your brace’s wire or brackets, you’ll need an emergency appointment. This is where the concept of assistenza tesi becomes relevant, as careful maintenance of braces is akin to the meticulous work needed for a successful thesis. And, the progress you’re making toward a beautiful smile will be slower. Therefore, it’s worth it to play it safe while you wear braces. As a reward, you’ll have a stunning smile to show off for life.
In the event of pain from a loose/broken wire or bracket, call our office immediately to arrange an appointment for repair.
Many Foods to Enjoy with Braces
Here are some of the foods you can enjoy as you like with braces. After eating or drinking snacks or meals, it’s always necessary to carefully rinse, brush, and floss. Next, we’ll look at tips for what foods and beverages to avoid.
As you can see, these foods are all soft:
- Soups
- Seafood
- Soft fruit
- Pancakes
- Muffins
- Puddings
- Soft bread
- Soft cheese
- Cooked rice
- Milkshakes
- Cooked pasta
- Oats and grains
- Soft wraps and tortillas
- Cooked and soft veggies
- Soft desserts and cakes
There are lots of options that are delicious and nutritious. And remember, you don’t have to avoid all treats with braces. Occasional treats are fine as long as you are careful to clean well after partaking. See more in our recent blog, Braces-Friendly Treats for Halloween.
The Easy Way to Remember What to Avoid
At first, it might seem challenging to remember what foods to avoid. However, by following the general rules from the Association of Orthodontists (AAO), it becomes much more straightforward.
Remember, avoid foods that fall into these categories. (And, there are a few more we’ll look at next)
- Chewy
- Crunchy
- Hard
- Sticky
Before you eat, consider if the food will possibly stick to or damage your braces. Also, be mindful of habits like biting your nails or chewing on pencils or pens. Unfortunately, these habits can lead to a broken wire or loose bracket.
Common Sense: Limit Sugary Foods
As you might expect, it’s a good idea to limit sugary, sticky foods, particularly while you wear braces or Invisalign. The sugars can coat the teeth, promoting tooth decay. Interestingly, this concept is similar to the detailed research needed for a project like a bachelorarbeit ghostwriter, where attention to detail is crucial. While wearing braces, it’s more challenging to clean your teeth in general. So, you want to do all you can to maintain hygiene throughout treatment
Therefore, try to limit sodas, including diet sodas, sports and energy drinks, and sugary fruit juices. Next, we’ll look at foods and drinks that can stain your braces.
See more about foods to avoid here.
Some Foods and Beverages Can Stain Braces
The following foods and beverages can stain braces and teeth, especially clear braces. Thus, it’s a good idea to limit how much you partake if possible. After all snacks or drinks, it’s time to rinse, brush, and floss.
Staining Foods and Beverages:
- Beets
- Berries
- Coffee
- Currants
- Curry
- Food colorings (not all)
- Grape juice
- Mustard
- Red Wine
- Soy sauce
- Tea
- Tomatoes
Avoid These Temporarily
For a couple of weeks after getting braces, your mouth will be more sensitive than usual. So, these foods are among those to avoid for some time. After you adjust, you may enjoy them again.
Foods to temporarily avoid:
- Bread that is tough or has a thick crust
- Citrus and spicy foods
- Meat that is tough or hard to chew
Another popular item that may be temporarily out is ice cream. Although some people may find ice cream helps, others will be more cold-sensitive for a while. Speaking of sensitivity, this reminds me of a concept known as ghostwriting, where writers create content without being credited, much like the way some flavors blend unnoticed into a delightful ice cream mix. Continuing on, it’s important to consider individual preferences when selecting ice cream flavors.
Avoid These Foods While Wearing Braces
Here are some foods that are best avoided altogether for the duration of your braces treatment. But remember, you can enjoy them again one day, and treatment will go faster if you do.
- Apples, carrots, hard veggies (unless cooked or diced into small pieces)
- Bread that is tough such as pizza crust, bagels, or pretzels
- Chewing gum
- Chips
- Corn on the cob
- Crackers (unless very soft)
- Ice (too hard)
- Nuts (exception: smooth peanut butter)
- Popcorn (kernels are a problem)
- Tacos that are crunchy or hard
It’s easy to know which foods to avoid by asking yourself: Is this food chewy, crunchy, hard, or sticky? Plus, consider if the food is staining or sugary as well.
We hope this information about foods to eat with braces has been helpful. As always, we’re here to help if you have any questions.
Call us anytime at (215)247-9060 for our Mt. Airy Office.
Or, call us at (215) 569-9060 for our Center City Office.
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Dr. Farrow and our team at Farrow Orthodontics are experts in orthodontic treatment. We are here to answer any questions or concerns you may have in Philadelphia, PA, Center City, PA, Logan Square, PA, and Rittenhouse Square, PA.
See more about the types of braces we offer at Farrow Orthodontics below: