When you first get braces, you will receive a list of foods to avoid because they could damage your braces. Some foods can bend or break your archwire or cause brackets to pop off, resulting in extra trips to the orthodontist between appointments to get your braces fixed. Your orthodontist may even recommend avoiding dark soft drinks, tea, and coffee that could stain your teeth and leave noticeable squares on the enamel once your braces are removed.
The list of no-no foods may seem limiting at first, but there are actually a lot of foods you can eat with braces. There’s definitely more you can eat than what you can’t. Here’s a guide to foods that are good to eat when you have braces.
Good Foods for Braces
The following foods are good to eat with braces, especially after getting your braces put on or adjusted when you may be sore:
- Oatmeal. Oatmeal is made from whole grain oats and is full of fiber. It is hearty and helps you feel full. You can add fruit to make it more flavorful without adding too much sugar.
- Eggs. Cooked any way, eggs are full of protein to help you feel full. Scrambled is the softest way to cook them when your teeth are sore.
- Soup. All kinds of soup are good to eat with braces. If your teeth are sore, avoid soups with hard or chewy chunks of food in them. Only add crackers if you let them get soft in the soup.
- Pasta. When it is cooked thoroughly, pasta is a good food to eat with braces. It is relatively soft and the carbohydrates provide long term energy, especially if you are active or athletic.
- Fish/Seafood. Various kinds of fish and other seafood are high in protein and omega-3, which is a healthy fat that can prevent heart disease and aid in brain development and function.
- Soft fruits and vegetables. Some fruits and vegetables are naturally soft, and others are hard or crunchy. You can eat the soft ones any time, but the crunchy ones need to be cut into bite size pieces or cooked until soft.
- Mashed potatoes. A good comfort food, mashed potatoes are soft and filling. Potatoes are rich in vitamins and antioxidants. The type of starch they contain can even improve blood sugar control. Sweet potatoes are also good, providing a source of beta-carotene that promotes eye health.
- Cheese, yogurt, dairy. Dairy products like cheese and yogurt provide protein and healthy fat. They can help you feel full over time.
- Soft bread. Bread is ok to eat with braces as long as it is soft. Avoid hard breads like bagels, baguettes, pizza crust, and any type with a hard crust.
Be Free From Food Restrictions with Invisalign
If you don’t like the limitations of what you can’t eat with braces, an alternative orthodontic treatment may be an option for you. Invisalign uses clear plastic aligners that fit over the teeth to gently shift them into the proper position. The aligners are removable, allowing you to take them out when you eat. This means there are no food restrictions with Invisalign. An evaluation is required to determine whether or not you are a candidate for Invisalign.
Dr. Suzanne Stock Provides a Full Range of Orthodontic Services
More often than not, children, teens, and even adults require some kind of orthodontic treatment in their lifetime. Dr. Suzanne Stock provides a wide range of orthodontic services to meet the individual needs of each patient. It is our goal to help each patient’s teeth come in properly, meet together properly, and function as they should for better dental and overall health.
Contact us today to learn more and schedule an appointment.