At a young age, our teeth are at their healthiest and strongest. However, as we age, our teeth can become damaged and weak. This is why it’s important to practise good dental hygiene and see a dentist regularly.
If you’re one of the many people who will be getting braces for the first time, it would be best to know what certain foods you can and can’t eat throughout orthodontic treatment. Here, we’ll list some of the foods that you need to avoid and some that will be fine to eat if you’re someone who wears fixed braces.
Training Wheels
Your first week is going to be an important one. It’s when your teeth and gums are adjusting, and let’s be honest, so are you. You will need to think before you eat during this time, as your mouth may feel a little uncomfortable.
After a while, you may get used to eating more, but be gentle to start with. We suggest that you only eat soft foods for the first 3-5 days, and we will give you some food options to consider after that.
Foods to Eat with Braces
Fortunately, there are still many safe foods that you can eat with braces. These include:
Dairy
This may be one of the times in your life when you are encouraged to eat plenty of dairy. So go for it, because there are so many wonderful things to enjoy: soft cheese, milk-based drinks, yoghurts, and eggs.
Bread
Instead of a hard piece of sourdough, think soft tortillas. So please take this to mean that we are encouraging you to eat as many burritos as possible! Then there are other bread varieties such as 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 make you feel full and satisfied. They also benefit from being able to be served as 1,001 different meals, so you can mix things up and never find yourself bored.
Meats
Many people ask if it is okay to eat meat. The answer is, absolutely yes. You just need to eat the softer styles of meats, which you most probably enjoy now anyway. These include meatballs, the sliced soft meats you can put on sandwiches and any cooked meat that is nice, soft and thinly sliced.
Seafood
Seafood is your new best friend – they are soft and yummy, varied and healthy.
Fruits and Vegetable
Mashed, steamed, or boiled vegetables are healthy and delicious. Mashed potatoes would be one of the best go-to foods when the teeth feel tender as they won’t require excessive chewing. Bananas are also a good snack throughout the day. Plus, these foods can help you maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
Foods Not to Eat with Braces
What can’t you eat with braces? Here are the main types of wrong foods to avoid when wearing braces:
Chewy Foods
Chewy foods such as bagels, chewy candies (muesli bars or liquorice) and caramel. Basically, anything that has the potential to get stuck in your wires and pull them out of place.
Want to eat pizza? You still can! Just be careful with the crusts as these can sometimes be quite chewy.
Crunchy Foods
Excessive snacking on crunchy foods can break your wires or loosen your brackets. Some crunchy foods to avoid include pretzels, ice, and popcorn sticky foods.
The good news is that hot chips are absolutely fine to consume. Hot potato chips are the safest choice as these are soft, but thin crisps can also be a good option. After eating, make sure to floss to remove any debris.
Sticky Foods
One of the worst things you can do while wearing braces is when you frequently eat foods that get stuck on your braces. The food debris won’t only get stuck in your wires, but they are also very difficult to remove. This can potentially lead to cavities and tooth decay. So please stay away from bubble gum, toffees and anything else that might make a mess of your beautiful smile.
Hard Food
Hard foods like nuts, hard candy, and crusty bread can also break your wires or loosen your brackets. So it’s best to either avoid them or cut them into small pieces.
Sugary Foods/Drinks
Candies, cakes, pies, soft drinks, and cookies are obviously full of sugar, which is not good for your teeth at the best of times. But when you have braces, sugar can get stuck in all the nooks and crannies and cause cavities. So it’s best to give them a miss for now.
Fortunately, you can still eat chocolate, but in moderation. Dark chocolate is lower in sugar than other milk chocolate varieties so is therefore recommended as the go-to choice if you’d like to eat chocolate.
Foods you have to really bite into
Some foods like apples, corn on the cob, and raw carrots require a lot of biting power. So it’s best to either cut them into small pieces or avoid them altogether.
If you’re someone who loves to eat chips or any of the above-mentioned foods, avoiding such foods can be difficult. In the event that you can’t stop yourself from eating the wrong foods (which will most likely be your favourite food), it’s best to brush your teeth right after eating.
You may also need to learn to bite or chew differently, to prevent any damage to your braces. Foods should be chewed with your back teeth rather than your front teeth as they are stronger.
Why Brushing and Flossing is Even More Important
Brushing and flossing are always essential to keep your mouth healthy. This is even more important when you eat with braces, as food can very easily get trapped in between your teeth.
When food starts getting trapped and you are not keeping your teeth clean, you may end up needing more dental or orthodontic treatment in future.
Care Instructions
If you have any questions about your oral health or a certain dental or orthodontic treatment, call our friendly staff today. We are happy to help in any way we can. Call us at (02) 42205300, or you can book an appointment online on our website.
