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If you are a big foodie, then braces might feel like jail for you, or even if you are not, it still sucks, right? You must be wondering what food can you not eat with braces, read on to know!
First of all, braces are the equipment that helps to correct problems with your teeth1, including crooked teeth, crowding, and many more. It also helps your teeth move backward thus putting them in the right position.
People who are insecure about their smile also get braces sometimes as it gives you a beautiful smile after your treatment.
When you get braces, you will have to change your eating lifestyle2 as there are certain foods that you can not eat with braces as they will cause you discomfort. The braces might also hurt in the starting few weeks, and you may have to survive on only liquids.
You need to know what food to eat and what to avoid, your orthodontist will guide you on what to eat after getting the braces. But still, having additional knowledge has never hurt anyone, so delve in!
How to Eat with Braces?
It will take time for you to adjust with braces. In the beginning, it might be difficult for you to eat food wearing braces. But don’t worry, you will get used to it.
However, it will take time for you to enjoy your popcorn and coke while watching a movie. You will have to avoid certain foods till your treatment time.
What Food Can You Not Eat with Braces?
Some foods are to be avoided at any cost as they can cause discomfort to your teeth3. The foods which are to be avoided at any cost are:
Foods to be STRICTLY Avoided
1. Chewy Foods
Chewy foods such as bagels and licorice need be to avoided.
2. Hard Foods
Hard foods such as hard taco shells, nuts, pizza crust, tough meat, and other hard rolls should be avoided.
3. Sticky Foods
Sticky food such as chewing gum, caramel candies, and gummy bears should also be avoided at any cost.
4. Sugary Foods
Too much sugar can be proven bad for your braces and wire. Please avoid sugary foods such as candies, chocolates, and chewing gum.
As soon as you eat anything sweet, the bacteria in your mouth start acting on it and produce certain acids, which lead to tooth decay.
5. Caffeinated Drinks
Caffeinated drinks and other cold drinks available in the market, including dark sodas, are a big no.
6. Crunchy Foods
You are allowed to eat fruits and vegetables. However, hard fruits and crunchy vegetables such as raw carrots, pears, and apples should be avoided. Crunchy foods such as popcorn and potato chips should also be avoided.
7. Food that Requires Biting
You can still eat corn with your braces. However, avoid eating corn on the cob as it might hurt you and your braces.
Other foods that should be avoided while wearing braces include ice, beef jerky, thinner crusts, tough meat, turmeric, nuts, and lollies.
What Food to Eat with Braces?
Braces can make your teeth look beautiful.4 However, if you don’t follow the guidelines given by your orthodontist, your treatment will take time. So, it is better to take precautions and eat foods that suit your braces without hurting them.
1. Soft Foods
Soft foods such as mashed potatoes, soft-cooked rice, soft-cooked chicken, soft tortillas, soft fruits, and soft meats could be included in your diet.
2. Dairy Products
Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and soft cheese can be eaten.
3. Fruits
Fruits and vegetables are recommended to be eaten as they will provide you with enough nutrition. Fruits such as bananas, strawberries, fruit juice, watermelon, and grapes can be eaten.
However, hard and raw fruits should be avoided, you can also cut fruits into smaller pieces to be eaten easily.
4. Seafood
Seafood such as tuna and salmon will not cause discomfort to your teeth.
5. Bread
Pancakes, muffins without nuts, and chapati can be eaten.
6. Grains
When we talk about grains, you are allowed to eat pasta, soft cooked rice, and many more with your braces.
Other foods that you can eat with your braces include scrambled eggs, oatmeal, soup, meatballs, steamed spinach and beans, cottage cheese, mac and cheese, spaghetti, fish, brownies, burgers, french fries, cake, pastries, hot dogs, pizza (without crust) and many more.
What to do if the Braces are Broken?
The braces could be broken because of these reasons:
- Rough Brushing
- Eating hard, chewy, sugary, crunchy foods
- Not taking care of your mouth
In case the braces are already broken, the first thing you should do is not panic. Yes, there is no need to panic if you realize your braces are broken.
All you need to do is to book an appointment with your orthodontist and visit them. They will inspect the broken braces and will take control of it.
However, it will be your responsibility to take care of your braces 5in the future so that this does not happen again, this can make your treatment time a little longer. To prevent damaging braces6, you need to follow some guidelines, which include things such as:
- Eat only prescribed food and avoid food that can cause discomfort to your mouth
- Brush your teeth gently
- Use floss every day to remove stuck food materials
- Visit your orthodontist once a month to keep a check on your progress
It is common for your mouth to get ulcers or cuts after braces, this might hurt you. If your braces are new, you might not be able to speak for a few days properly, and it might irritate you.
Don’t worry about it, you will get used to it. You can use a small amount of dental wax between your braces and the cut as it provides you with a lot of relief.
How to Maintain Dental Health?
Maintaining Dental Health While Undergoing Orthodontic Treatment
Wearing braces for a long time is indeed painful. Moreover, it also becomes difficult to clean teeth. However, you can clean your teeth and maintain braces with certain precautions, it will also help you in reducing the pain.
1. Proper Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Floss, and Rinse
The first and crucial step is to choose the right products. Your orthodontist will provide information about the best type of toothpaste, toothbrush, and floss.
It is important to use the right products because some brands in the market have harsh ingredients. This might cause discomfort in your teeth.
In case you want to have fresh breath, a mouth rinse will be the best option. However, you must opt for brands that do not have red or green dyes, always follow your orthodontist’s guidelines.
2. Brush Your Teeth Properly
Brushing your teeth with dental braces is different because you have to be cautious about your braces so that you do not cause any damage to your braces. Brush your front teeth and the inner side of your teeth.
Don’t forget to brush the crowns of your teeth and the outer side of your mouth then rinse your mouth after brushing. Brushing your teeth properly will remove the food materials stuck in your metal wires.
3. Floss at least Once a Day
It becomes important for one to floss with their braces as the food particles get stuck between the braces. So, flossing once a day will help remove the stuck food particles.
Make sure to follow the guidelines of your orthodontist while flossing your teeth. It is also a good idea to carry a floss box so that you can remove stuck food particles immediately and not feel discomfort in your teeth.
4. Choose Your Diet by Keeping Braces in Your Mind
Now that you know what food can you not eat with your braces, let’s choose your diet.
It is important to avoid certain foods that may damage your braces. As a teenager, you also need nutrients for your body. So, it is important to eat healthy food instead of junk food.
5. Clean Your Retainers
If you are wearing retainers, it becomes important for you to clean your retainers daily for safety purposes. You can clean them with warm water and dish soap once a day to keep them healthy.
Vinegar can also be used to clean retainers, but it should be used carefully. To clean them with vinegar, combine warm water and vinegar, both taken in equal quantities. Soak the retainers in the mixture for 20 minutes, you can also use your toothpaste to clean them.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What foods can I eat with braces?
With braces, you can consume soft-cooked meat products, rice, potatoes, and vegetables. When preparing braces-friendly meals, a cooker or instant pot can be quite useful.
2. How long after getting braces can you eat normal foods?
You can consume normal meals again approximately 14 days after you begin wearing braces.
3. Is it OK to eat with braces on?
Certain meals, particularly those that are sturdy or sticky, must be avoided throughout treatment.
EndNote: Food to be Avoided to Eat with Braces
It is hard to eat with braces, we get it, but you need to prevent certain foods for your own wellbeing and future. Even after taking so many precautions, if your wire has loosened or braces have been broken, don’t panic. Just inform your orthodontist as soon as possible and visit him/her as soon as possible.
We hope that you liked this article, we will meet you again with a new piece of an article very soon. Till then, take care of yourself and don’t be afraid to smile big!
- Courtade, Gerard L. “Creating Your Own Dentin: Procedures for Rebuilding Badly Broken-down Teeth.” Dental Clinics of North America 7.3 (1963): 805-822. ↩︎
- Di Renzo, Laura, et al. “Eating habits and lifestyle changes during COVID-19 lockdown: an Italian survey.” Journal of translational medicine 18.1 (2020): 1-15. ↩︎
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- Höfel, Lea, Matthias Lange, and Thomas Jacobsen. “Beauty and the teeth: perception of tooth color and its influence on the overall judgment of facial attractiveness.” International Journal of Periodontics & Restorative Dentistry 27.4 (2007). ↩︎
- Sheats, Rose D., et al. “Pilot study comparing parents’ and third‐grade schoolchildren’s attitudes toward braces and perceived need for braces.” Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology 23.1 (1995): 36-43. ↩︎
- Kim, Jinkoo, and Youngil Seo. “Seismic design of low-rise steel frames with buckling-restrained braces.” Engineering structures 26.5 (2004): 543-551. ↩︎
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