Can I Eat This? Top Foods to Enjoy and Avoid With Braces

Congratulations on getting your braces! You’re on your way to the smile you’ve always dreamed of having! The good news is that your braces will do a lot of the work. However, you will have a few things you need to do to make your braces journey a success. You’ll need to keep up with brushing and flossing, making sure you do it regularly. You’ll also need to watch what you eat while in braces because some foods can damage your braces. That could delay treatment, and no one wants that! 

At Zombek Orthodontics, we often get questions about what you can eat and what you can’t while in braces. We have a list of foods to avoid during your treatment, foods you can eat with caution, and foods you can continue to enjoy with braces!

Foods to Avoid With Braces

Yes, there are foods you need to avoid eating with braces. The main reason is that these foods can damage your braces and delay your treatment time. No one wants that, right? Many of these foods are considered “junk” foods, so you may find yourself eating healthier with braces! 

Here’s what you need to avoid with braces:

• Chewy foods — bagels, licorice, taffy, “hand-tossed” pizza crust, gummy bears or “gummy” anything, jerky
• Crunchy foods — popcorn, tortilla chips, ice, hard cookies
• Sticky foods — gum, caramel candies, certain snack bars
• Hard foods — nuts, hard candies, sunflower and pumpkin seeds
• Foods that require front bite — apples, carrots, corn on the cob, pears (whole), peaches (whole)

Again, this is just temporary. You’ll be back to eating these foods before you know it!

Foods You Can Eat Cautiously

Some foods can be eaten with a certain amount of caution and specific preparation. Some meats, for example, can be eaten in small bites or prepared in certain ways. 

Here are foods you can eat cautiously. 

• Pizza - Soft crust only, such as deep dish. Hand-tossed or thin may be too hard and could damage wires and brackets. Better still, ditch the crust.
• Fruits - Eat small pieces, bite-sized, without the skin. Try applesauce instead of apples; small bites of pears or peaches are OK. Be careful of strawberries. The seeds can get stuck in your braces!
• Oatmeal - Raw oatmeal can damage braces, such as what you find in snack bars, but soft, cooked oatmeal is fine. It can even soothe a sore mouth after braces are put on your teeth.
• BBQ or cooked meats - Don’t eat meat off the bone because the bone could knock off a bracket. Cut the meat into small bites and chew carefully. 

Foods You Can Enjoy! 

It may seem like you’re giving up a lot of different foods, but that’s not the case! There are plenty of delicious foods you can enjoy with braces. From lobster and soft tacos to ice cream and cake, there are endless possibilities! 

Here is a sample of the great foods you can enjoy with braces:

• Dairy — soft cheese, pudding, milkshakes, protein shakes, ice cream, smoothies
• Soft breads and cakes — soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins (no nuts), cakes, soft cookies
• Grains — cooked pasta, soft-cooked rice
• Meats/poultry — soft-cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats, hot dogs
• Seafood — tuna, salmon, crab cakes, lobster
• Vegetables — mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans, cooked squash/zucchini
• Fruit — applesauce, bananas, fruit juices, gelatin snacks, diced fruit snacks

Caring for Your New Braces

Once you finish all these great foods, be sure to brush your teeth for at least two minutes. It’s best to do this twice a day and floss at least once a day. However, it would be ideal if you could brush after every meal. You can also use a water flosser and mouthwash for extra cleaning and fluoride protection. 

Zombek Orthodontics wants your braces journey to be a success, which is why we will be here for you every step of the way. If you’re in the Weston or Hollywood, FL, areas, you can always contact us if you have questions. It may seem like a lot to remember at first, but you’ll soon get used to avoiding certain foods while enjoying others as your braces work to create the perfect smile. It will be worth it in the end when you look in the mirror and see the smile of your dreams!