While braces work their magic on your teeth, you must be mindful of what foods you eat during your orthodontic treatment. Dr. Ray and our State College Orthodontics team are here to help you every step of the way, including giving you some wise dietary suggestions. Here is your ultimate braces-friendly food guide!
Understanding Your Braces: Why Food Choices Matter
Braces consist of several components that work together to move your teeth. Knowing how these parts interact with food can help make smarter eating choices and avoid possible damage.
- Brackets: These small metal or ceramic pieces are bonded to your teeth. Hard and sticky foods can cause them to break or loosen.
- Archwires: Thin metal wires connect the brackets and guide your teeth into place. Biting into tough foods can bend or dislodge them.
- Elastic Bands: These help adjust your bite. Chewy foods can pull elastic bands out of place or cause them to snap.
- Ligatures (Rubber Bands or Wire Ties): These keep the archwire in place. However, sticky foods like caramel or gum can pull them off.
Best Foods for Braces
The main characteristics of food to pay attention to are texture and size. You can get clever with this combination since some foods are more densely packed with nutrients while still being easy to eat.
- Proteins: Scrambled eggs, soft chicken, turkey, ground beef, tofu, and flaky fish are all easy to eat with braces and are protein-rich.
- Dairy: Yogurt, soft cheeses, milkshakes, and cottage cheese provide calcium for strong teeth. You can also consider dairy alternatives, which will have different nutritional advantages.
- Grains: Cooked pasta, soft bread, oatmeal, and rice are all excellent braces-friendly staples and can be bases for an endless number of flavorful dishes.
- Vegetables: Steamed carrots, mashed potatoes, avocado, and roasted sweet potatoes are all gentle on braces.
- Fruits: Bananas, applesauce, seedless watermelon, and ripe berries offer a delicious and safe way to get your vitamins. You can also use a blender for smoothies as a handy way to consume your favorite fruits, vegetables, and some dietary supplements.
You might be wondering about the sweeter stuff—which isn’t strictly off-limits but should be consumed in moderation (remember, exposing your teeth to sugar constantly increases the risk of bacteria and decay). When you do choose to indulge, consider:
- Ice cream & milkshakes (without hard mix-ins)
- Pudding & custard
- Soft chocolate (without nuts)
- Smooth peanut butter
- Cheesecake & soft pastries
Risky Foods to Avoid
As we said, the real issues tend to arise when you stray from soft, easy-to-chew foods. Think twice before eating some of these foods with braces, categorized by texture:
Too Hard
- Popcorn, nuts, hard candies
- Ice cubes (chewing them can be damaging!)
- Raw carrots or apples (unless sliced thin or cooked)
Too Crunchy
- Chips (especially kettle-cooked or extra-crispy varieties)
- Hard taco shells
- Crusty bread (like baguettes or hard rolls)
Too Sticky
- Gum (even sugar-free!)
- Caramel, chewy candy like taffy or Starbursts. marshmallows
- Sticky/tough granola bars
Too Tough
- Pizza crust (soft pizza is fine, but avoid crunchy edges!)
- Steak or beef jerky
- Bagels
And remember that we also offer Invisalign, which is a removable treatment option for teens and adults at State College Orthodontics. This might make matters a bit easier if you’re concerned!
Some Additional Tips
You will likely have to adapt your eating practices just a little bit when you have braces, depending on what your diet looked like before! Dr. Ray can always provide you with additional advice, but these tips are good to keep in mind for eating:
- Chew With Your Back Teeth: Your molars are stronger and can handle chewing more efficiently without putting pressure on your front brackets.
- Cut Food Into Small Pieces: Instead of biting directly into foods like sandwiches, apples, or burgers, take a moment to cut them into manageable bites.
- Rinse After Eating: Braces can trap food, so swish with water after meals to help keep your mouth clean. Also, be diligent about brushing and flossing to remove remaining food particles that get trapped.
A Sample Braces-Friendly Menu
Breakfast
- Scrambled eggs with soft toast
- Greek yogurt with honey and mashed banana
- Oatmeal with cinnamon and milk
Lunch
- Macaroni and cheese
- Soft turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread (no crunchy veggies!)
- Mashed avocado on soft bread
Dinner
- Pasta with a soft tomato sauce and ground turkey
- Baked salmon with steamed broccoli and rice
- Slow-cooked shredded chicken with mashed potatoes
Snacks
- Applesauce or yogurt cups
- Hummus with soft pita bread
- Cottage cheese with ripe peaches
A Well-Rounded Diet and Healthy Smile
Dr. Ray has been serving our community for over twenty years—meaning she has a lot of experience with questions about diet during treatment! Whether you’re a parent trying to arrange meals for your child or you’re an adult with braces, know that you can have a delicious diet, even with braces. Schedule your free consultation today to get started and meet our expert team! We’d love to see you soon at our office in State College!
