Have you put off getting braces because you don’t want your diet to become slim pickings? Or have you postponed getting your child braces because you’re worried you won’t be able to help them develop healthy eating habits if braces restrict their diet? These are valid concerns—food plays a crucial role in your and your child’s health, daily routine, and life experiences. However, Elm Tree Orthodontics would like to put the myth to rest that orthodontic work means you can only eat soup by answering the question, “What can I eat with braces?”
What Are Braces?
To understand why your diet matters when you’re an orthodontic patient, we will first discuss what braces are.
Braces are orthodontic equipment that aligns your teeth and jaw over time by applying gentle, continuous pressure. There are two categories of braces—removable and fixed. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.
Removable braces, or clear aligners, are custom-made transparent trays that the patient can take off. Elm Tree Orthodontics proudly offers our patients a choice between Invisalign and Spark clear aligners.
Fixed braces are glued to the teeth and can only be removed by an orthodontist like our Dr. Desai! At Elm Tree Orthodontics, we offer two kinds of fixed braces: traditional metal braces (brackets and wires but no colorful elastics) and InBrace hidden braces (attached to the back of the teeth for “invisible” treatment).
Removable braces are ideal for mild to moderate bite correction needs, and fixed braces are perfect for all alignment problems, from mild to severe. Which option is best for you (or your child) depends on your lifestyle and how active you want to be in the treatment process. For more information on the treatment types, head to the “Our Treatments” page!
Why Does My Food Matter?
Okay, now that you have a general idea of what braces are, let’s talk about why you need to change your grocery list!
Clear Aligners & InBrace
For Invisalign and Spark, your diet does not need to change because you must remove the aligners before eating. To preserve their transparent appearance for as long as possible, rinse your mouth with water after every meal and avoid eating and drinking substances known for staining, like coffee or tomato-based products.
InBrace does not require any changes to the diet. You can eat and drink as if you were not in treatment.
Metal Braces
Some modifications are necessary for metal braces to maintain the good condition of your braces. Though damaged braces aren’t necessarily always painful and are unlikely to alter your final results, frequent disruptions to your life can negatively affect your view of orthodontic treatment and give you a frustrating overall experience. Eating the “wrong” foods can break your brackets or damage your wires, which can be annoying to deal with and interrupt your routine when you need to come to get them repaired.
Changing your diet also protects your oral health! If you constantly have broken braces or trouble cleaning them due to food always being stuck in them, you might be less likely to perform adequate oral hygiene consistently. Poor oral hygiene habits can lead to tooth decay, decalcification, gum disease, infection, and more. If left untreated, oral health conditions can make your orthodontic experience unpleasant and affect your final smile results.
We understand that altering your diet can be difficult initially, but we promise that the changes are only temporary and completely worth it!
What Can I Eat With Braces?
Now that you know what braces are and why you must change your diet, let’s go over what you can and cannot eat with metal braces!
You do not want to bite into any food using your front teeth; always cut your food into small, bite-sized pieces. If applicable, remove it from the bone. You also want to avoid sticky, crunchy, tough, chewy, or hard food. We know that as soon as we say this, you will immediately think of everything you will miss out on. But there’s still so much great food you can enjoy!
You Can Eat…
- Pasta
- Soft, Boneless Meat And Seafood
- Casseroles
- Vegetables Softened By Steaming Or Boiling
- Soft Vegetables Like Green Beans
- Soft Fruits
- Hard Fruits Cut Into Thin, Small Pieces
- French Fries
- Rice
- Mashed Potatoes
- Soups
- Cookies Softened By Milk And Broken Into Small Pieces
- Softened Crackers In Small Pieces
- Soft Bread
- Yogurt
- Corn Off The Cob
- Smoothies
- Pudding
- Ice Cream
- Soft Cheeses
- Eggs
- Soft Salads With Bite-Sized Ingredients
- Mac N’ Cheese
- Soft Pizza (Don’t Eat The Crust!)
- Hot Chocolate
- Melted Chocolate
- And More!
There are so many varieties of each of the above items; you’ll find it hard to feel “limited” by your braces! It might help to think of your braces as an excuse to try new things instead of seeing them as a reason to skip over something you like.
You Can’t Eat…
- Popcorn
- Chips
- Oreos
- Hard Taco Shells
- Ice Cream Cones
- Taffy, Caramel, And Other Sticky Candies
- Hard Candies, Like Lollipops, Jolly Ranchers, Lifesavers, Et Cetera
- Gummies
- Hard Crackers
- Beef Jerky
- Ice Chewing
- Nuts
- Stringy Vegetables Like Celery And Other Hard/Crunchy/Raw Vegetables
- Crunchy Or Hard Whole Fruits
- Hard Cough Drops (At Least Don’t Bite Them!)
- Corn On The Cob
- Hard, Fried Food
- Anything That Requires You To Bite With Your Front Teeth
If you have any doubts about the safety of an item, contact Elm Tree Orthodontics to find out! It never hurts to ask, and it’s better to find out than to avoid something for months that you could have been eating the whole time!
Ready To Find Out If You Or Your Child Qualifies For Braces?
Now that you know braces won’t drastically change one of the best parts of your day, schedule your free consultation at Elm Tree Orthodontics in Hamden or North Haven! Our fantastic team can help you to discover which option you and your family are eligible for and guide your orthodontic journey to success!