Healthy foods that are easy to eat with braces

Posted September 16, 2016

As your orthodontist will have discussed with you, wearing braces will have fantastic results but does involve some short term compromises. One of them is a restriction on the types of food you can eat.

If you’re new to braces, the first week may involve a little discomfort while you get used to wearing them. In the first few days, you might like to change what you eat to make life a little easier. There are also certain food types you should not eat at all while wearing braces.

They include:

Hard foods such as nuts, hard fruit, candy, potato chips and some vegetables
Sticky food such as toffee, taffy, caramel and gum
Highly acidic food such as soda and citrus fruits

Your orthodontist will discuss foods that are suitable and those that are unsuitable during your treatment.

Healthy foods that are good with braces

Generally, soft foods that are not sticky, overly sweet or acidic are the order of the day while you have braces. While the scope is huge, actually coming up with good ideas that work is harder. To help, we suggest a few options you might like to try.

Breakfast

The most important meal of the day for so many reasons. We like to suggest a fruit smoothie as a good breakfast. Mix milk with Greek or vanilla yoghurt, frozen berries, a fresh banana and blend. For extra hungry people, mix a spoonful of meal replacement shake or protein powder for long lasting satiety.

Alternatively, oatmeal, scrambled eggs or some breakfast cereals might be suitable. Add mixed soft fruits into the oatmeal or cereal for a little extra nutritional punch.

Lunch

Most braces wearers are fine with sandwiches, yoghurts, soft fruits, jello, ice cream and soft bread. If you have difficult chewing, just cut the food up into smaller chunks and chew with your molars (back teeth).

Suggestions include wholewheat sandwiches with cheese, pasta salad with chicken, tuna salad, blueberry muffins or homemade macaroni and cheese.

Dinner

Scope for a healthy dinner is huge and contains enough variety to keep things interesting for both the braces wearer and the rest of the family. It can also provide the perfect excuse to experiment with new foods too!

Meal suggestions include baked potato with a soft filling, most pasta dishes, chili, soup (without the crusty bread, sorry), meat loaf with mashed potato or quinoa. Soft fruits, baked apples, yoghurt, ice cream or milk shakes work as desserts.

Snacks

There is nothing wrong with a healthy snack between meals if you get hungry. There are lots of healthy options if you plan enough in advance and don’t depend on the school or workplace to have healthy and brace-friendly options on sale.

Good snacks include hummus with cucumbers and shredded carrots, avocado with salt and pepper, mozzarella balls, fresh bread with the crusts cut off, yoghurts or a version of the breakfast smoothie.

Meryl A. Baurmash, D,D,S.

owner

Healthy foods that are easy to eat with braces

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