Wow, congratulations on your new braces! You are now on the journey to the smile of your dreams. It is normal for your teeth to be a little sore the first week with your new braces. You may need to make some adjustments to the way you eat your favorite foods, but the end result WILL be worth it! What about the weeks after that? What can you eat with braces? You may have been told what NOT to eat with braces, but you’ll be surprised at how many of your favorite foods you can still enjoy!
Eating With Braces the First Week
The first week with braces can be tricky for eating because you will have a bit of tenderness. Your teeth are just starting their journey of moving into their proper place. As that begins, your mouth must get used to the brackets and wires and having your teeth shift bit by bit. What can you eat with braces the first week? There are lots of options!
The team at Smith & Davis Orthodontics has a few recommendations for you. Start your treatment with braces by eating soft foods like mashed potatoes, yogurt, bananas, mac and cheese, and pancakes. Not bad, right? After the first week, the soreness should go away, and you’ll be ready to eat normally.
What Can I Eat With Braces?
Once the soreness is gone, you’re ready to dive into eating with braces. You’ll want to know what to avoid eating with braces — things like hard, sticky, or chewy foods — but only until you get your braces off! In the meantime, there are plenty of delicious foods you can enjoy, from cooked vegetables to shredded meat (like pulled pork BBQ) to cake! Some foods may be a little tricky to eat. You might want to prepare them differently from what you are used to doing, but it’s totally doable. Here are a few suggestions:
- Apples — You can’t front bite an apple-like, you’re used to, but you can cut an apple into thin slices and eat those. You can even make your own homemade applesauce!
- Carrots — Like apples, carrots are too hard to bite from the front because you can damage your braces. Instead, try slicing them and cooking them in a little butter and water until they’re nearly tender, then add a teaspoon of honey or molasses and cook until tender!
- Meat — Meat-like steak and pork may be a little tough, but cutting them into small bites will make it easier to chew them with fewer chances of damaging your braces. You can also shred the meat to eat. So grab that barbecue sauce and pull some pork or brisket!
- Corn — Avoid corn on the cob with braces because you can loosen a bracket when you hit the cob. So just cut it off the cob, and you’re good to go!
- Tacos — Who doesn’t look forward to Taco Tuesdays? Hard tacos aren’t a good idea with braces, so just go soft! Soft tacos are just fine to eat.
Questions About Eating With Braces? Ask us!
You can eat a lot with braces! They aren’t as restrictive as you may think. If you do have concerns and you’re in the Rogers, AR, area, feel free to give us a call or stop by to see us! You can schedule an appointment with us. You’ll want to do that if you have any problems with your braces. The longer you go with a loose bracket or broken wire, the more we may have to repair. If you have any other questions or concerns, contact us. The Smith & Davis Orthodontics team will be with you every step of the way on your journey to a beautiful new smile!
