What Can You Eat With Metal Braces?
New braces come with a new grocery list. Metal braces are glued to your teeth for months, so a few foods have to wait until treatment is done.
Our Washington, MI dentists go over eating rules with every patient who starts braces, kids and adults alike.
Here's what you can eat, what to skip, and how to make mealtime easier.
Why Some Foods Are Hard on Braces
Brackets are small, and the wire that connects them is thin. A hard bite can pop a bracket loose, and a sticky snack can pull on it or bend the wire.
The warns that hard, sticky or tough foods can break appliances and stretch out treatment. A broken bracket usually means an extra visit before your teeth can keep moving.
Foods to Skip While You Wear Braces
Most foods to avoid with braces fall into three groups:
- Hard: nuts, ice, hard candy, hard pretzels and chips
- Sticky or chewy: caramel, taffy, gummy candy and chewing gum
- Hard to bite into: whole apples, raw carrots, corn on the cob, bagels and crusty rolls
Popcorn deserves its own mention. The lists it next to gum and whole apples as foods to avoid.
Foods That Are Easy to Eat
Plenty of meals stay on the menu. Soft, tender foods are the safest picks:
- Oatmeal, yogurt and scrambled eggs
- Soup, pasta and mashed potatoes
- Flaky fish, chicken and ground meat
- Steamed vegetables
- Bananas, berries and soft cheese
A balanced diet still matters, since teeth and gums need good nutrition while they move. Our post on nutrients for healthy teeth covers the basics.
Make Favorite Foods Braces-Friendly
You don't have to give up every crunchy food. Changing how you eat it often does the trick.
Slice apples and carrots into thin pieces and chew with your back teeth. Cut corn off the cob, and pull meat off the bone before eating.
Cut pizza and sandwiches into small bites instead of biting with your front teeth.
Eating When Your Teeth Feel Sore
Teeth often feel tender for a few days after braces go on and after each adjustment. Plan softer meals for those days, like smoothies, soup and mashed potatoes.
Cold foods can help too. The AAO notes that cold treats may ease some of the pressure from the wires.
Keep Your Teeth Clean After Meals
Food gets trapped around brackets fast. Too many sugary foods can also lead to plaque buildup around them, which raises the risk of cavities and stains.
Rinse with water after eating and brush as soon as you can. Our tips on how to floss well and avoiding a cavity work with braces too.
You can also see every option we offer on our orthodontics page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you chew gum with braces?
It depends on your dentist's advice, so ask before you chew. Sticky gum can cling to brackets and wires and is hard to clean off.
Sources differ on sugarless gum. MouthHealthy lists chewing gum among foods to avoid, while Cleveland Clinic says sugarless gum with the ADA Seal of Acceptance is okay.
What should you eat the first week with new braces?
Stick with soft foods that need little chewing, such as yogurt, oatmeal, eggs, soup and mashed potatoes. Teeth are usually most tender in the first few days.
Cold foods like smoothies may feel good on sore teeth. As the tenderness fades, you can slowly add firmer foods back, cut into small pieces.
Will you get eating instructions when your braces go on?
Yes. After your braces are placed at Romeo Family Dentistry, our dentist explains which foods to avoid and how to care for your teeth and braces at home.
If something isn't clear later, such as whether a certain snack is safe, you can call our Washington office and our team will answer your question.
Is eating easier with ClearCorrect aligners?
In most cases, yes. ClearCorrect aligners are removable, so you take them out to eat and brush, and there are no brackets or wires to protect.
Our dentists offer both ClearCorrect aligners and traditional metal braces. The right choice depends on your teeth, your bite and how much daily wear you're comfortable with, so we'll help you compare.
How long will you need to watch what you eat?
You'll follow the food rules for as long as your braces are on. Cleveland Clinic says braces treatment takes about two years on average, though some people finish sooner and others need up to three years.
Your timeline depends on how much your teeth need to move. Our dentist will give you an estimate before you start.
Ask Our Dentists About Braces
Following a few simple food rules protects your metal braces and helps keep your treatment on schedule. If you have questions about eating with braces or want to know if braces are right for you or your child, our family dentists in Washington, MI are happy to help.
Call Romeo Family Dentistry today at (586) 752-3589 or request an appointment online.