Nobody ever wants to give up their favorite food, but it could mean the difference between getting your braces off and having them on for much longer than you anticipated. Eating the right foods and knowing which ones to stay away from while you have braces keeps your teeth healthy and can make life with metal mouth so much easier! Everyone wants beautiful straight teeth in the most painless way possible, so next time you or your child needs braces in McMurray, be sure to discuss diet options during the time you must wear them.
The Best Foods to Eat with Braces
Let’s start with the good. Just because there are a lot of things you should avoid eating with braces doesn’t mean you can’t eat at all! These foods won’t get stuck in your braces, and on the off-chance they do, they can be rinsed out with water easily. Here is a list of your new favorite foods when you have braces:
- Soft fruits: Bananas, oranges, grapefruits, and other soft fruits can be a healthy, delicious, and easy snack for those with braces.
- Vegetables: In order to get your veggies, most of them must be steamed to make sure you can chew through them without causing issues.
- Seafood: Tuna, salmon, and a lot of other fish can be a great source of protein without getting stuck in your braces.
- Dairy products: Yogurt and other soft dairy products like cheeses will become your best friend.
- Eggs: Eggs are perfect for braces because you can make them however you’d like, and they’ll still be easy to eat!
- Grains: You will be able to eat some of your favorites like pasta and noodles, as well as soft-cooked rice.
- Soft breads: These are things like biscuits, pancakes, muffins, and soft tortillas.
The Worst Foods to Eat with Braces
These are foods that will be painful to get out of your braces. It’s best to avoid this mess all together, and consider the following foods you should avoid when you have braces:
- Popcorn: The kernels are nearly impossible to not get stuck in your braces.
- Nuts: These are way too hard to chew.
- Gum: We think this is a no brainer, but you’d be surprised. Gum can easily stick and get caught in your braces, making it a nightmare to clean and get rid of.
- Tough meat: Red meat and other tougher meats will be harder to eat and chew than fish and poultry.
- Corn chips: Although you may think chips are easy enough to chew, they can break and sharpen into ridged pieces making them hard to extract from the braces.
- Ice: We know that ice melts, but it is way too hard for you to chew with braces.
- Hard cookies or crackers: These can easily get lodged in your teeth and in between braces.
- Sticky or hard chocolate: Chocolate can be your worst nightmare if you have braces. Avoid this candy at all costs if you want the metal out of your mouth in time because chocolate sticks to your teeth longer than other foods and has a very high sugar content.
It is important to know that ANYTHING hard or sticky that you put into your mouth can cause harm to your braces and even your teeth. If you’re doubting whether the change in diet is worth it or not, ask yourself if you want your braces on longer than what was originally planned.
Whether you currently have braces or will eventually need them, make sure you know what to eat to be certain your mouth is healthy, and your chances are better they’’ come off on time! Talk to your trusted local orthodontist in McMurray to discuss your diet options during your time with braces.
About The Orthodontist
Dr. Cartwright has been practicing orthodontics in Southwestern Pennsylvania for over 20 years. If anyone knows what foods to eat and which ones to avoid while you have braces, it would be him. Through continued education, Dr. Cartwright has received various orthodontics certifications making him an expert in this field. He shares more information about how to succeed in everyday life while wearing braces here, and he can be reached by if you have any additional questions or concerns.