Are you having trouble eating food and snacks with your new braces? During the first week of having braces or over the first few days after having an adjustment, it’s best to have a soft food diet.
Our friendly orthodontists at My Dental Team are here to help you through your treatment. We’ve prepared a helpful list of the best food and snacks for braces. One of our lovely practice managers has even prepared a guide for the best foods and snacks for braces!
Best foods for metal braces
Soft foods are always the best foods and snacks for braces These include:
Savoury foods for braces
- Soups
- Mash Potato
- Rice
- Roast pumpkin
- Noodles and Pasta (cook a little longer so they’re softer!)
- Slow cooked meats
- Fish fillets
Savoury snacks for braces
- Soft bread and buns
- Soft cheeses such as brie and camembert
- Yoghurt
As you can see, there are a variety of savoury foods and snacks for braces that can satisfy your appetite. You can also take this opportunity to explore new foods you haven’t tried before!
In Australia, we’re lucky to live in a diverse community with so many different cuisines. Whether it’s Lebanese, Chinese, Mexican, or Italian cuisine you are craving, there are so many restaurant options that offer soft foods and snacks you can eat with your new braces.
Not only that, but it’s easy to prepare foods and snacks for braces at home. From making a smoothie or having a burrito or poke bowl night, you can make it fun by turning it into a family activity!
When preparing meals, focus on softer carbohydrates, chop veggies into smaller pieces, slow cook your meats or have mince/fish instead. When snacking, switch out the harder nuts for cashews, slice your carrot sticks nice and thin or even have cucumber sticks instead.
Remember to keep away from foods that might knock your brackets off such as popcorn and corn on the cob – you want to avoid these kinds of foods and snacks while braces are on your teeth. Take the time to cut the corn from the cob, and enjoy a cup of freshly buttered corn – your teeth will thank you for it!
Hard nuts, sticky muesli bars and hard lollies will have to be avoided during your orthodontic treatment. This is because they may dislodge brackets and break wires, which might delay your treatment time. Opt for ground and flaked nuts instead.
Apart from savoury foods and snacks for braces, there are a few great sweeter options too! Just remember to keep your sugar intake down as anything that’s bad for your teeth usually is worse for your teeth while you have braces on!
Best sweet snacks for braces
- Smoothies and milkshakes
- Cereal and milk
- Soft fruit: banana, berries, kiwi, mango…
- (And as a special treat: ice cream, mousse or jelly!)
Keep it healthy by making you or your child a fruit smoothie in the morning. Add yoghurt or oats to your smoothies to make them extra filling. While whole apples and pears can damage the wiring of your braces, you can find inventive ways to keep these foods in your diet – from baking to juicing, and blending.
Greek yoghurt, honey, and oats is another great option in the morning while hard granolas and muesli can cause damage to your braces. Raw veggies and fresh fruits can also be juiced to help you get as much fruit and veg in while chewing is still uncomfortable during the first few days of having braces.
Lollies such as caramel and licorice should be avoided as they can easily get stuck in brackets and break wires. These are also foods that might be extra uncomfortable to eat after first getting your braces on. When looking for a sweet treat, avoid highly processed lollies or cakes and opt for cut fruit instead. Sugar is especially damaging to teeth whilst you have your braces on as there are many nooks and crannies for it to attach to. When having a sweet treat, be sure to brush your teeth immediately after or have a drink and swish of water if brushing is not possible.
Soft drinks should also be avoided while you have your braces on (and just in general for those without braces too!) Any low calorie or ‘sugar free’ fizzy drinks including sparkling water and kombucha, can also be quite damaging to your teeth and braces due to the acidic nature of these beverages. Remember: bubbles = acid! Crunching on ice cubes is also another way patients can break their braces off, so please avoid doing this while having a cold drink.
Why is eating the right foods and snacks for braces important?
You might be wondering why it is so important to adjust your diet while going through your orthodontic treatment. There are a list of great reasons for why eating the right food and snacks for braces is essential.
Protecting your braces
Eating something that is too hard or sticky can snap your arch wire or even dislodge a bracket – this can cause delays in your orthodontic treatment not to mention discomfort! By sticking to soft foods and snacks you’ll protect your braces.
Avoiding discomfort
Sore teeth and gums are common after your braces are first put on, and the first few days after they are adjusted. Smoothies, soups, and yoghurts are great options as these foods don’t require as much chewing. Jaw pain can also be caused by overworking your chewing muscles (your masseter muscles) throughout your orthodontic treatment – remember to prepare your food by cutting it into bite-sized portions.
Preventing damage to your teeth and staining
High sugar foods are best avoided when choosing foods and snacks for your braces. Sugary or acidic foods that are bad for your tooth enamel can even cause staining around the brackets of your braces.
Hopefully this guide has helped you prepare for your new braces! Remember to keep up healthy habits such as brushing and using your Piksters twice a day. Piksters or interdental brushes are a really effective way to reach the spots under your wire or between your braces. Food debris and plaque can easily build up around your braces if brushing is neglected. Swish with water after meals when you don’t have access to a toothbrush.
Want to learn more? Our friendly dentists and orthodontists at My Dental Team are just a phone call away. Book your My Dental Team consultation today at Shellharbour, Bella Vista, or Wollongong. See you at your next appointment!