What You Can And Can’t Eat With Braces
If you’re about to get braces or have just gotten them, one of the first things you’ll be told is that you need to keep certain foods away from your teeth to ensure they don’t chip, crack, or break while they adjust to their new position and alignment. But what can’t you eat with braces? And what foods should you avoid? This guide will help answer both of those questions, as well as offer tips on how to eat with braces without damaging them.
Why Are Dietary Changes Needed With Braces?
Eating habits change with braces. Patients are instructed to be careful not to chew on anything hard, like pencils or pens, which can break or damage braces. Patients should also avoid sticky foods like taffy, gum, licorice and caramel-coated nuts because these will get stuck in brackets and wires. If a patient does eat something that gets stuck it may need to be removed by his orthodontist or an oral surgeon. To ensure proper treatment during orthodontic treatment, patients must follow instructions from their dental professionals about how to manage diet changes while wearing braces. For example, in addition to avoiding foods that can cause problems for teeth wearing braces, patients may also have dietary limitations like avoiding chewing gum until after they have completed all of their permanent tooth movement.
To Protect Braces From Damage
A lot of people are confused about what they can and can’t eat with braces. If you’re interested in protecting your teeth from damage, then check out our list of foods to avoid with braces: Coffee and other drinks that are hot enough to melt ice cream should also be avoided. Nuts, hard candy and tough fruits or vegetables like carrots, celery, apples and bananas can all do a number on your braces. Hard candies (especially sticky ones) have a tendency to get stuck in there—something you definitely want to avoid while wearing braces! If you’re wondering what can you eat with braces, here’s a simple rule: stick with soft foods!
To Avoid Discomfort After Adjustments To Braces
If you recently had a dental visit that involved an adjustment to your braces, you may be feeling a little uncomfortable. In order to reduce any discomfort after adjustments to braces, you can perform some simple in-home treatments. Try taking an over-the-counter pain reliever (such as Advil or Tylenol) before bedtime and apply petroleum jelly on top of your braces and along gums for added comfort. If you find yourself waking up with discomfort after adjustments to braces in the morning, try rinsing your mouth out with warm salt water. Sucking on ice chips or sipping cool drinks like lemonade or iced tea will also help soothe swollen gums and minimize discomfort due to jaw soreness.
To Reduce The Risk Of Stained Teeth
A bar of soap, for starters. Tooth-whitening toothpastes like Crest 3D White Luxe Glamorous White and Biotene Enamel Shield are also excellent at removing food from braces. As an alternative to paste, consider a whitening mouthwash with added fluoride such as Biotene Pro-Health Advanced Mouthwash or Sensodyne Pronamel Gentle Whitening Rinse. And don’t forget to brush! Using dental floss is highly recommended because it gets rid of any food trapped in between your teeth.
To Change Chewing Technique
Although what you eat and drink can affect your braces, chewing technique will be an even bigger factor. After all, if you’re grinding or clacking your teeth while eating. It doesn’t matter what’s going on with your mouth. You’re still wearing down and damaging your orthodontic appliances. Therefore, it’s important to learn how to chew properly while wearing braces. For a more complete guide on chewing with braces, see How to Chew with Braces. A shorter version of how to eat and drink is below
What You Can Eat With Braces
Many people will tell you that you can’t eat anything with braces. That simply isn’t true. You may have to change your eating habits for a little while. But there are definitely still ways to enjoy a full and healthy diet even. If you have metal brackets glued to your teeth! There are also certain foods that need extra care.
What You Can’t Eat With Braces
It’s important to learn what you can and can’t eat while wearing braces. Because of all the potential dental damage that could be caused by eating certain foods. There are many different foods that should be avoided at all costs when you have braces. Including chewy and sticky foods like pizza, hard candy. Sunflower seeds and macadamia nuts. Some smooth hard fruits and vegetables such as apples. Carrots and celery should also be avoided because they cause a lot of damage to your teeth. Other healthy options like whole-grain breads should also be avoided. Because they can scrape your teeth if eaten without toothpicks. Or a similar utensil in between bites.
