Congratulations if you have already taken the step of getting braces, and making a positive change. It won’t come as a surprise to you that braces can make eating a little tricky sometimes.
If you like your food as much as we do, then we want to make sure you know exactly which foods are best served with braces. And we certainly don’t want you to think that having braces means you’d go hungry or unsatisfied, this is not the case at all. Afterall, pancakes are definitely on the eat more not less list!
Training wheels
Your first week is going to be an important one. It’s when you teeth and gums are adjusting, and let’s be honest, so are you. During this time you will need to think before you eat, as your mouth may be a little uncomfortable. After a while, you may get used to eating more, but be gentle to start with. We suggest that for the first 3-5 days, you only eat soft foods, and we will give you some yummy options to consider.
Which foods are best served with braces?
Soft food is going to make the transition to living with braces a whole lot easier, give you less problems but also prove pretty yummy. Think about all the soft foods there are to enjoy:
Dairy
This is one of the times in your life when you will be encouraged to eat as much dairy as possible. So go for it, because there are so many wonderful things to enjoy. Soft cheese, puddings, milk-based drinks, wonderful yogurts, cottage cheese and eggs as many ways as you can think of.
Bread
Instead of a crusty piece of sourdough, try soft tortillas. Please take this to mean that we are encouraging you to eat as many burritos as possible! Then there are the pancakes and muffins – but you might want to avoid those with nuts.
Grains
If you like pasta and rice, then this will be one of the best times of your life! Both these foods are ideal as they are not only soft, but they will of course make you feel full and satisfied. They also have the benefit of being able to be served with 1,001 different sauces, so you can mix things up and never find yourself getting bored.
Meats
Many people ask us if it is OK to eat meat. Absolutely yes it is. You just need to eat the softer styles meats, which you most probably enjoy chomping away on now. These include meatballs, the sliced meat you put on sandwiches and any cooked meat that is nice, soft and thinly sliced.
Seafood
Seafood is your new best friend – they are soft as well as being yummy, varied and healthy.
Fruit and vegetables
If you like mashed potatoes, then read on. Mashed or steamed veggies are healthy and delicious (please add as much tomato sauce as you like.) Bananas are also good snack throughout the day.
Is there anything I can’t eat with braces?
We hate saying ‘no’ or ‘can’t’, but you may find it difficult to chew on some of these foods during treatment, they could also damage your braces:
- Chewy foods: muesli bars or licorice
- Crunchy foods: popcorn or ice
- Sticky foods: gum
- Hard foods: nuts and hard breads
- Sugary food: lollies
- Foods you have to really bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots
Why brushing and flossing is even more important
Brushing and flossing is always important to keep your mouth healthy. When you have braces this is even more important, as food can very easily get trapped in your mouth… that doesn’t even sound nice, so imagine how it feels.
When food starts getting trapped, and you are not keeping your teeth clean, you may end up needing more treatment, and we are sure you have better things to do.
Care instructions
If you have any questions at all, call our friendly staff today. We are happy to help anyway we can. Call us at (02) 42205300 or you can book an appointment online right now.