Smoothies packed full of fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables are especially soothing in the first few days after getting braces put on. Not only can they help alleviate the soreness, but smoothies can also pack a nutritional punch when made with fruit, yogurt, milk, and even nutrient-rich leafy greens, like kale. This is a great way to ensure that you are getting the vitamins and nutrients you need when you don’t feel up to eating solids. Noodle dishes, such as ravioli, spaghetti, and macaroni and cheese are also good meal options. It’s helpful to consult cookbooks and other resources so that you can develop your own arsenal of healthy and tasty soft food recipes. Useful cookbooks devoted specifically to recipes for people with braces include The Braces Cookbook (two volumes), Tender Teeth Cookbook, and Surviving Braces.
Because of its teeny kernels, popcorn is a major no-no for most braces-wearers because it has a tendency to get lodged in your gums underneath the bracket and cause irritation. However, it is possible to buy hull-less popcorn. Popular brands include Just Poppin’ and Amish Country Popcorn.
Hard foods to be avoided include ice, hard candies, hard pretzels, pizza crust, croutons, nuts, and seeds to name a few. You should also stay away from foods with a hard center, including ribs or chicken legs. Pull the meat off the bone instead.
Stay away from taffy, caramel, Airheads, Skittles, jellybeans, Mentos, Jolly Ranchers, Starburst, licorice, and candy bars that have caramel. Peanut butter is fine.
Using your front teeth to bite into certain foods can damage the brackets. It can also cause food build-up in and around your braces, which may make you feel self-conscious.
The combination of sugar and plaque causes acid in the mouth, which can lead to swollen gums, decay, and discolored teeth. Keep in mind all of the time and efforts you have put into straightening your teeth before you reach for high-sugar foods that only damage them.
Foods that you used to eat by the handful should now be eaten one at a time - like chips, for example.
Learning to use your side and back teeth more will also help prevent food from getting visibly stuck in your braces, which is what often happens if you bite into something like a sandwich, pizza, or burrito with your front teeth.
Cook hard or crunchy foods. Foods that have a heavy crunch, like vegetables, could loosen the brackets on your braces if eaten raw. However, a lot of vegetables, such as carrots and celery, soften when cooked. So cook them before eating and this way avoid having to make an emergency visit to your orthodontist! For foods or meals that are likely to have hidden chunks of meat or vegetables, such as burritos, sandwiches, and wraps, your best bet is to eat these with a fork and knife. Foods traditionally considered bite-size or a single serving, like a sushi roll, are challenging to eat with braces. There is the possibility of choking or gagging if you eat these foods whole. Instead, try cutting pieces and portions in half to make sure that you can chew it slowly and completely. For foods with cores or pits, such as apples, pears, and peaches, slice them into thin pieces, instead of biting into them. You can even eat corn on the cob by running a sharp knife down the length of the cob and cutting off all of the kernels.
