Here at Sawgrass Orthodontics, we want your orthodontic experience with us to be positive and stress-free, from your first appointment to your last. Choosing to improve your smile with braces is exciting, but like anything new, it comes with a few changes. Most of them are minor, but some take a little getting used to, like food restrictions.
The food restrictions that come with traditional braces are one of the bigger adjustments for patients. They can be frustrating early on, but they protect both your braces and your teeth while you’re in treatment.
All that effort pays off the day your braces come off and your new smile shows up, but we want to make the stretch in between easier. So we put together this list of braces-friendly foods you can enjoy with our blessing. Keep reading for tips on handling the food changes ahead.
Hang in there, braces don’t last forever
It takes time and effort to straighten your smile and improve your oral health, no way around it. Whether you’re in braces for a few months or a few years, there will be days when it feels like treatment will never end. We promise it’s only temporary. If you accept from the start that you’ll have a few limits for a while, the whole thing goes a lot more smoothly. Before you know it, the braces come off and you’re looking at your new smile in the mirror.
Dental hygiene matters even more with braces
Oral care matters for everyone, in braces or not. But once you’re wearing braces, taking care of your teeth and gums becomes even more important. You’ll want a solid routine in place throughout treatment, and after it too.
We ask all our patients to brush at least twice a day for two minutes and floss every night before bed. Caring for your mouth doesn’t stop there. Aim for a diet that’s rich and varied in vitamins and minerals. You might be wondering how to manage that with restrictions on what you can eat, but there’s still a wide range of healthy foods you can enjoy in braces.
Breakfast
Cereal
Cereal may not seem like an obvious pick since a lot of it is crunchy, but most kinds soften up if you let them sit in milk for a few minutes. If soggy cereal isn’t your thing, oatmeal or grits work well too.
Bread
Hard, crusty bread can be a problem in braces, but there’s plenty you can still enjoy, like bagels and sliced sandwich bread. You can toast them, just keep it on a light setting. The same goes for frozen waffles or French toast sticks.
Fruit
Most fruit is fine in braces, though a few need a little prep. Apples, for instance, should be sliced small or blended into a smoothie since biting into a whole one can cause damage. Watch out for fruits with seeds or pits too. Peaches, nectarines and cherries are soft on the outside, but biting down on the hard center can bend or even break a bracket.
Lunch
Soup
Soup isn’t just for sick days. It’s filling, nutritious and takes little to no chewing, which makes it perfect for days when your mouth feels tender after an adjustment.
Salad
Tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers cut into small pieces are all orthodontist-approved, just steer clear of croutons. Salads are also packed with vitamins and minerals that help protect your teeth from cavities, so they’re a solid choice during treatment.
Sandwiches
As long as the bread is soft, you can eat sandwiches as often as you like. Ham, tuna, deli chicken and cheese are all braces-friendly fillings. Cutting your sandwich into smaller pieces can make it easier to eat. Bread tends to get stuck in braces, so keep a toothbrush and toothpaste handy and brush after meals and snacks.
Dinner
Fish
Naturally soft and flaky, fish is a great swap for tougher meats like beef and pork when your mouth is sore. Fattier options like tuna and salmon are also a good source of vitamin D, which helps your body absorb and use calcium.
Rice and pasta
These starchy staples are easy to eat and won’t bother your braces. You can build all kinds of meals around rice and pasta, just be careful with what you add. Chicken should be soft and shredded or cut into small pieces. Meatballs should be tender, not overbaked. If you’re adding cheese, keep it melted rather than baked until it’s crunchy.
Vegetables
Raw vegetables are best avoided, especially early in treatment. Carrots, celery and other crunchy veg can cause trouble, but boiling, baking or steaming them solves that. Skip corn on the cob, though it’s fine off the cob. Most other vegetables are great in braces, however you like to cook them.
For the best in braces treatment, trust Sawgrass Orthodontics!
Braces take a little extra effort, especially around food, but you’ll be surprised how fast the time goes. It helps to remember that the changes you make to your diet benefit more than just your smile. Better oral health, better total body health and a straighter smile make the wait well worth it.
If you’re in the Davie, Weston, Plantation, Cooper City or Sunrise areas, we’d love to meet you and show you how orthodontics can give you the smile you’ve always wanted. Get in touch today to schedule a free consultation.
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