Braces: Eating
Life is crazy. Between work, school, family and a myriad of additional activities, we all have a lot on our plates. The need for healthy (and yummy) meals and snacks to keep you going is essential. When you throw braces into the mix, necessary changes to your weekly menu may have you feeling a bit overwhelmed. Don’t let that discourage you. There are plenty of foods that will help you stay on track and keep your braces safe too.
Almost as important as what you eat with braces is how you eat with braces. The number one rule of thumb is to chew slowly so you don’t accidentally bite down too hard on something. Another tip is to cut your food up as much as possible such as with carrots, apples, and other fruits. Some even find that biting with the side of their mouth instead of your front teeth is typically easier (that also prevents you from getting food stuck in your front brackets.)
The first few weeks can be tough. It’s possible that only soft foods like soup, mashed potatoes, yogurt and soft-bread sandwiches will be manageable right when you first get your braces placed or tightened. But after the first few weeks, your gums will handle the braces better and you will become a pro at biting and chewing your food carefully, but effectively.
Be Careful With:
- Any chip snacks
- Hard bread, rolls or bagels
- Pretzels (hard or soft)
- Crunchy Cereal
Do Not Bite Into:
Large, hard, raw fruits and vegetables
- Cup up apples, carrots and other hard fruits and vegetable
- Cut corn off the cob
- Cut all meat off the bone and into bite size pieces
Do Not Chew On:
- Pencils
- Pens
- Fingernails
- Ice
Foods to Avoid:
Hard Foods
- Popcorn
- Nuts
- Peanut Brittle
- Ice (worth mentioning twice!)
- Beef Jerky
- Hard Candies or Suckers
Sticky Foods
- Taffy
- Caramels
- Gum
- Gummy Bears
- Jelly Beans
Acidic Foods
- Lemons and Limes
- Soft Drinks
- Coffee
Foods to Enjoy:
- Pasta, Ravioli, Macaroni and Cheese
- Mashed Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes
- Sliced Bananas, Peaches, Strawberries, Applesauce
- Cooked Carrots, Avocado, Cucumbers, Sweet Peppers, Corn (off the cob), Steamed Vegetables
- Scrambled or Hard Boiled Egg
- Baked Fish Fillets
- String Cheese, Yogurt, Cottage Cheese
- Muffins, Pancakes, Soft Cookies
- Smoothies or Ice Cream
Up Next…Braces: Keeping Your Braces Clean
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