It can be a little difficult to eat with braces, especially if you are new to the treatment and are still getting used to your wires and brackets. It’s important to be mindful of what you eat and drink, and to know that there are some foods that it is best to avoid while you have braces. Here are the foods you should be careful about eating, the ones you should avoid completely, and those that are fine to enjoy during your treatment.
Which foods should you be careful with?
There are a number of foods, which you don’t have to avoid completely, but you should limit and be careful if you do indulge. Hard foods like nuts, raw vegetables, and pizza crusts can be tricky to eat with braces. Because of their texture, they require a significant amount of force to bite through and can cause damage to the wires and brackets of your braces. Rather stick to cooked vegetables, and opt for soft breads, rather than those that are hard and crunchy.
Try to avoid tough meats as much as possible, as chewing on these can loosen your wires and brackets. Make sure your meat is properly cooked and tender before tucking in.
While it’s fine to put ice in your drinks, it’s important that you don’t bite ice cubes. They can cause serious damage to your braces and delay the results of your orthodontic treatment.
Which foods should you avoid completely?
There are a number of foods that you should avoid while you have braces. It’s a good idea to eliminate hard candy from your diet. The sugar content in candy can cause damage to your teeth, and the texture of hard sweets can also be detrimental to your wires and brackets.
Sticky foods, like caramel, syrup, peanut butter, and chewing gum, can easily get stuck in your braces. This makes it more difficult to clean your teeth and braces. Good oral hygiene is essential while you have braces — brush with a soft, round-bristle toothbrush after every meal in order food debris and plaque, and floss daily.
Which foods are fine to eat with braces?
While there are a range of foods that are best avoided during orthodontic treatment with traditional metal braces, there are many foods that are fine to eat. Generally, it’s a good idea to opt for foods that have a soft texture, particularly following your appointments in which your braces are tightened and adjusted.
Some healthy choices include soft vegetables, and fruits like kiwi, banana, grapefruits, and tangerines. Dairy products, like yoghurt and soft cheeses are a good source of protein. Avoid tough meats in favour of soft options, like tender chicken, mince, meatloaf, seafood, and processed lunch meats. Eggs are another protein-rich food that are perfectly fine to eat with your braces.
When it comes to carbohydrates, avoid crunchy and hard snacks, and choose soft grains like pasta and rice, and soft breads like wraps and muffins.
Is it possible to strengthen my teeth?
When you wear braces, the brackets are secured to the enamel of your teeth. When your enamel is strong, your braces are more likely to stick to the surface of your teeth and stay in place. Certain foods can help to keep your teeth strong throughout your treatment. These include foods rich in calcium, like dairy products, kale, tofu, and broccoli. Foods high in protein, like eggs and beans are also a healthy choice, while sugar-free candy can be helpful in promoting saliva production. This helps to support the growth of good bacteria in the mouth.
If you would like more information on metal braces and how the process works, read here. Get in touch with us here to arrange a consultation.
