Adjusting to a new life wearing braces can be difficult at first; you may experience some discomfort for the first week or so or find that speaking and eating feels different. But don’t worry – you’ll soon become used to a new routine and should find you can eat most of the foods you love, albeit cut into smaller pieces!
When you’re wearing braces, we recommend sticking to a soft diet of easy to swallow foods. We also recommend avoiding foods that you have to bite into – like apple or raw carrot. We’ve put together a short guide to some of the food to avoid whilst in braces and some of the best things you can eat.
Best food to eat with braces
A soft diet doesn’t have to mean soup, yoghurt and smoothies (although it’s not a bad place to start during the first week of your orthodontic treatment). There are plenty of nutritious and tasty things you can still eat whilst wearing braces, such as:
- Pasta, soft rice
- Soft or sliced cheese, milk, yoghurts, custard
- Fruit such as bananas and berries (but watch out for pips!)
- Steamed or roasted vegetables, mashed or pureed potato, carrot, suede
- Stewed apple, pears or rhubarb
- Fresh fruit or vegetables chopped up into smaller pieces
- Soft and fluffy bread, muffins, pastry, wraps
- Sliced or slow-cooked, tender meats and fish
Breakfast
Set yourself up for the day with a delicious and wholesome bowl of chia pudding or bircher museli. Both of these meals are either soaked or predominantly liquid-based and there are plenty of different variations so you can try to keep breakfast varied and interesting. Just be sure to check your teeth and braces for seeds or fruit pips and have a good clean afterwards.
Lunch
We’re big fans of a tasty frittata for a lunch that is satisfying as well as healthy, and this recipe for a rainbow frittata is no exception.
Dinner
Satisfy your cravings for a big bowl of comfort food with our recipe for courgetti spaghetti Bolognese or this warming vegetarian Moroccan stew.
Food to avoid with braces
Any food that is hard, sticky, chewy or crunchy should be avoided during your orthodontic treatment. This includes the obvious ones such as boiled or gummy sweets, chewing gum and popcorn, but also some breads, like crusty sourdough or baguettes and things like corn on the cob and meat on the bone. If you eat green vegetables like spinach or kale, be careful. Stray pieces can easily get caught in your braces.
Remember the golden rule
The key to your orthodontic treatment is maintaining good oral and dental health so, no matter what you eat, remember to brush your teeth thoroughly after every meal or snack to be sure there are no lingering food particles trapped in your braces. If you have eaten anything sweet, you should leave it half an hour before brushing your teeth as sugar can temporarily soften your tooth enamel and immediate brushing can cause erosion. We know brushing might not always be possible, so it’s a good idea to carry a bottle of water with you so you can rinse your mouth out.
If you choose to undergo your orthodontic treatment with us, you can rest assured that we will take you through all of the key information you need to know. The team at The London Lingual Orthodontic Clinic are passionate about maintaining good dental health and are here to advise you throughout your journey.
Find out more about your consultation options here.
