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Foods You Can Eat With Braces

Orthodontists work with adolescents, teens, and adults who need braces to help correct dental issues like crooked teeth, gaps, overbites, and underbites. Braces require lifestyle adjustments that include a change in eating habits. Eating the wrong things can cause food to stick to braces and damage braces.

Getting braces is an adjustment to your smile and your eating habits. Contact Trielle Orthodontics in Union to learn more about life with braces. Call us today at (908) 206-4700 for information about our services or schedule an appointment.

Foods You Can Eat

While wearing braces, it is important to make some changes in what you eat. During the early weeks, you are adjusting to soreness and your changing bite. It may be challenging to eat some of the foods you love. Typically, it takes around a month for a patient to get used to their braces. Here are several examples of foods you can eat:

  • Applesauce, diced peaches, and sliced bananas
  • Avocadoes, cooked carrots, and cucumbers
  • Cottage cheese
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Ice cream
  • Macaroni and cheese
  • Mashed and sweet potatoes
  • Meatloaf
  • Oatmeal
  • Pizza
  • Ravioli
  • Scrambled eggs
  • Smoothies
  • Yogurt
“It usually takes around two weeks to get used to your braces and to start eating normally again.”

Foods You Cannot Eat

You can still enjoy many foods while wearing braces, but some you should avoid. These foods can break appliances, bands, brackets, or wires, and this damage slows down the treatment process. The majority of damage to braces occurs on the back molars. Avoid all chewy, crunchy, gooey, and sticky foods. Examples of foods you cannot eat include:

  • Bagels
  • Caramels
  • Chunky peanut butter
  • Gum
  • Gummy bears
  • Hard candies
  • Jerky
  • Nuts
  • Popcorn
  • Potato chips
  • Taffy
“The wrong foods can break appliances, bands, brackets or wires, and this damage slows down the treatment process.”

How to Deal With Soreness When Chewing

Braces hurt when you chew because they are pulling and pushing your teeth. You can ease the discomfort by drinking ice water or milk. Eating cold treats like ice cream or frozen yogurt can also help you deal with soreness.

If you are eating and feel sharp wires poking your mouth, orthodontic wax may provide relief. You can help prevent gum inflammation by practicing good oral hygiene. Over-the-counter pain medication can also help with pain and discomfort while chewing.

“Eating cold treats like ice cream or frozen yogurt can also help you deal with soreness.”
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