Foods You Can Eat With Braces

Braces help make your teeth straight. The metal parts on your teeth push them to go where they need to be. But you need to be careful what you eat! Some foods can break your braces or make your teeth hurt.

Let’s see what foods are good and what foods are bad for braces!

Bad Foods That Can Hurt Braces

Hard foods can break the metal parts of your braces. When this happens, you need to go back to the dentist. This makes your teeth take longer to get straight.

Here is a list of foods to stay away from:

• Hard candy
• Ice cubes
• Nuts
• Popcorn
• Hard bread like bagels
• Corn on the cob
• Hard fruits like apples (unless cut small)
• Chewy candy like caramel

Did you know that 30% of braces breaks happen because kids eat hard or sticky foods? This means if 10 kids have braces, 3 will break them by eating the wrong foods!

Good Foods That Are Safe For Braces

You can still eat lots of yummy foods with braces! Soft foods are best because they don’t hurt your braces.

Here are good foods you can eat:

• Yogurt
• Soft pasta
• Mashed potatoes
• Soft fruits like bananas
• Smoothies
• Ice cream
• Eggs
• Soft bread
• Soups
• Rice

Milk and yogurt are very good! They have lots of calcium that helps your teeth move 15% faster. This means your braces can come off sooner!

What Happens When You Eat The Wrong Foods

When you eat hard or sticky foods, bad things can happen to your braces:

1. The wires can bend
2. The brackets (metal parts) can break off
3. Your teeth can hurt more
4. You might need an extra trip to the dentist

Ice and hard candy break wires most often – they cause 45% of all emergency visits!

Special Tips For Eating With Braces

Here are some helpful tips to make eating with braces easier:

• Cut food into small bits
• Chew with your back teeth
• Take small bites
• Eat slowly
• Use a Custom Dental Guard at night if you grind your teeth
• Drink lots of water after meals to clean your braces
• Use a water flosser to clean food from your braces

Using a water flosser can lower your chance of getting cavities by 40%!

Eating At Restaurants With Braces

Eating out can be hard with braces. Some restaurants now have special “braces-friendly” foods. One place in Wilmington even has a special menu just for people with braces!

What to order at restaurants:

• Pasta dishes
• Soft tacos
• Soups
• Fish
• Cooked vegetables

What to avoid:

• Pizza crust
• Chips
• Chewy bread
• Hard tacos
• Tough meat

Even when you go to a birthday party or school lunch, you can make good choices!

How To Clean Braces After You Eat

After you eat, you need to clean your braces very well. Food that gets stuck can cause bad breath and cavities.

Follow these cleaning steps:

1. Rinse your mouth with water
2. Brush for 2 minutes
3. Use special braces brushes for hard spots
4. Floss with a floss threader or water flosser
5. Check in a mirror to make sure all food is gone

It might seem like a lot of work, but it’s worth it! Your teeth will be clean and healthy.

Snacks For School And Sports

What can you take for lunch or snacks when you wear braces? Here are some good ideas:

• Yogurt cups
• Applesauce
• String cheese
• Soft sandwich with no crust
• Pasta salad
• Banana
• Pudding

For sports, try these:

• Soft granola bars
• Smoothies in a thermos
• Cut-up fruit
• Protein shakes

Before big games or practice, eat soft foods that give you energy but won’t hurt your braces. And always wear a Custom Sports Mouth Guard that fits over your braces when playing sports!

How Long Until I Can Eat Normal Foods?

When you first get braces, your teeth might feel sore for about 1-2 weeks. During this time, stick to very soft foods like:

• Soup
• Yogurt
• Ice cream
• Mashed potatoes
• Smoothies

After the first few weeks, you can add more normal foods as long as they’re not too hard or sticky.

The full time with braces is usually about 1-3 years. Kids who follow the food rules get their braces off 4.5 months sooner than kids who eat whatever they want!

Braces-Friendly Recipes

Here are some tasty recipes that are safe for braces:

Banana Smoothie

• 1 soft banana
• 1 cup milk
• 3 ice cubes
• 1 spoon of honey
• Mix in a blender!

Soft Mac and Cheese

• Cooked pasta
• Cheese sauce
• A little butter
• Mix together and enjoy!

Tasty Soup

• Chicken broth
• Soft cooked vegetables
• Small pasta
• Cook until very soft!

These foods are not just safe for braces – they taste good too!

Common Questions About Braces And Food

Why Following The Rules Is Important

When you follow the food rules, good things happen:

• Your braces work faster
• You have fewer problems
• Your teeth will look better when braces come off
• You save time and money by not breaking braces

80% of kids who don’t follow the rules end up wearing braces 2 months longer than they needed to!

Food Diary For Braces

Here’s a simple food diary you can use:

Using a food diary helps you keep track of what foods make your braces feel good or bad. This helps you make better choices!

Getting Ready For Braces To Come Off

When it’s almost time for your braces to come off, keep being careful with what you eat! You’re so close to having straight teeth!

After your braces come off, you might get a Soft Night Guard to wear at night. This helps keep your new straight teeth in place.

Final Thoughts

Eating with braces can be hard at first, but you’ll get used to it! Remember to:

• Eat soft foods
• Stay away from hard, sticky foods
• Clean your braces after eating
• Visit your dentist regularly

Your smile will be so beautiful when the braces come off! It’s worth being careful about what you eat.

Keep a list of safe foods on your fridge, and soon you’ll know exactly what you can eat to keep your braces safe and your smile getting straighter every day!