You’ve gotten your braces on…congratulations! You’re now on your way to achieving the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted, which means it’s time to make sure you’re getting the most out of your braces. A big factor that needs to be addressed is what you can eat while you have braces. There are foods that work with braces and foods that don’t, so ensuring you’re sticking to your orthodontist’s instructions is important. Here are the foods to eat and avoid with braces.
Foods to Eat with Braces
A healthy, balanced diet important to overall health…remember learning that in health class? It’s true! Choosing foods high in nutritional value is essential to maintaining a healthy weight and preventing issues such as diabetes, heart problems and obesity. When you have braces, it’s also important to choose foods that work with your braces, instead of against them. Foods recommended by your orthodontist that won’t cause damage to your braces include:
- Yogurt
- Pudding
- Soups
- Cooked veggies
- Soft fruits
- Mashed potatoes
- Eggs
- Cottage cheese
- Pasta
- Rice
It’s also advised to chew slowly and break food into manageable pieces to reduce the risk of damaging your brackets or wires. This not only helps you to prevent damage, it also aids in digestion.
Foods to Avoid with Braces
Certain foods just don’t play nice with braces and can do some serious damage to your brackets and wires. Hard, sticky, or chewy foods can break or dislodge brackets and wires, making a trip to your orthodontist imminent, and potentially extending your time in treatment. It’s best to avoid certain problem foods such as:
- Nuts, seeds, popcorn
- Tough meats
- Chewy foods
- Hard bread
- Pretzels
- Candy
- Gum
- Corn on the cob
These foods, although some are healthy, can cause problems with your braces. If you’re hoping to enjoy food like corn on the cob, remove the corn from the cob and chew it slowly.
The Importance of Your Diet and Braces
What you choose to fuel your body with has a direct effect on how you feel and how your body performs, so it’s best to start adopting some good habits now. When you have braces, you need to be extra sensitive to this, since one wrong bite has the potential to cause a halt in your progress.
It’s only temporary, but after avoiding certain junk foods for so long, patients often tend to not even desire these foods after treatment is over. A lot of the food to be avoided while having braces is junk food with little to no nutritional value. In removing these items from your diet, you’re setting yourself up for success, not only with your orthodontic treatment, but also with the overall health of your body.
So, if you’re a little apprehensive about your new diet with braces, don’t be! Think of this as a time to explore new foods and find more of what you like that is actually good for you. Treat yourself and your braces right, and you’ll be on your way to feeling fabulous
