Eating with Braces
Soft Foods
Eating may feel uncomfortable when you first get your braces put on, or after coming in for adjustments, so we recommend eating soft foods at these times. You may enjoy some of our smoothie recipes, or try foods like:
- Yogurt
- Pudding
- Soft cheeses
- Muffins
- Well-cooked pasta
- Meatloaf
- Tofu
- Soft-cooked fish
- Soup (without chunks)
- Mashed potatoes
- Avocado
- Banana
- Applesauce
- Fruit juice
- Protein/breakfast shakes
- Jell-o (of course!)
Foods to Avoid
Your orthodontic appliances are not indestructible. Eating hard or sticky foods can bend your archwires or cause your braces to unglue. If this happens, the broken braces or broken archwires will need to be repaired. These types of repairs are not included in our original fees so fixing your braces, especially repeatedly, can become expensive.
You should avoid the following types of food, and use common sense in your eating decisions:
- Partially / unpopped popcorn kernels
- Large raw vegetables (cut into pieces)
- Apples or fruit with a pit (cut them up)
- Corn on the cob
- Hard bread, bagels, pizza crusts
- Bones (take meat off the bone first)
- Ice
- Gum (unless sugar-free)
- Nuts
- Peanut brittle
- Hard candy (Jolly Ranchers, lollipops, ...)
- Sticky candy (Starburst, Skittles, ...)
- Caramels and toffees
Also avoid chewing on pens, pencils or your fingernails; none of which have nutritional value anyway!
Sugary Foods
Sugar increases the amount of plaque on your teeth, which can cause decalcification (white marks), or permanent decay (dark cavities). It is always important to manage your sugar intake to keep your teeth healthy, but it’s particularly important while wearing braces since your teeth will be harder to clean.
To minimize your sugar intake, limit the following foods:
- Soda pop
- Other sugary drinks
- Candy
- Ice cream
- Cake
- Cookies
- Pie
Learn more about becoming a patient today or contact us to book your next appointment.
Dr. Kamelchuk and his Team look forward to seeing you or your child at Greater Calgary Orthodontics.
