Patient question: What can I eat with my new braces?

We love when patients ask us this question! Now that you’re wearing braces, it’s just as important to maintain a good oral hygiene regimen as you did before your orthodontic treatment began. The first few days in braces are going to be more difficult to eat than normal. There will be a slight discomfort when you first get your braces on, so the act of chewing will make it slightly more painful.

Here are a few soft foods that do not require you to do much chewing and are easy to chew on when your teeth are uncomfortable during the initial adjustment period.

Ice cream, yogurt, pudding, cool soups, Jell-O, scrambled eggs, cream of wheat, baked potatoes, soft cooked pasta, soup, bananas, cottage cheese, smoothies, macaroni and cheese, pancakes, soft cheeses, and milk are all foods you can eat safely without having to worry about pain or breaking your brackets.

Patient question: What can I NOT eat with my new braces?

Your new braces are placed on your teeth with temporary dental glue – we don’t use crazy glue!  We do want to take your braces off when your treatment is complete.  Avoiding the following foods and habits will help to keep your braces intact, and allow us to move your teeth as quickly and efficiently as possible:

• Sticky foods and candy – toffee, caramels, Starburst, licorice, gummies
• Hard candy – jaw breakers, cinnamon hearts
• Super hard foods – whole nuts, crunchy or frozen granola bars, popcorn, hard pizza crusts
• Chewing ice!!!
• Biting your nails and other hard objects such as pens and pencils

Be sure to always check with us if you have questions about a particular food item by either giving us a call or asking us on Facebook!