Eating With Braces
You’ve probably heard from friends and family members who have worn braces that you won’t be able to eat some of your favorite foods while you’re in treatment. That’s true - if your favorite food is hard candy:-). Truth is - you can eat most anything as long as you avoid anything that might cause you to lose a bracket, break a wire, or get tangled up in goo. Here’s a simple, helpful guide to help you avoid any issues. Feel free to print this list out and put it up on the fridge.
Foods to AVOID with braces:
- Chewy foods — bagels, licorice
- Crunchy foods — popcorn, chips, ice
- Sticky foods — caramel candies, chewing gum (sugar-free gum is okay)
- Hard foods — nuts, hard candies
- Foods you have to bite into — corn on the cob, apples, carrots (great to eat, but please cut into small pieces!)
Foods you CAN eat with braces:
- Dairy — soft cheese, pudding, milk-based drinks
- Breads — soft tortillas, pancakes, muffins without nuts
- Grains — pasta, soft cooked rice
- Meats/poultry — soft cooked chicken, meatballs, lunch meats
- Seafood — tuna, salmon, crab cakes
- Vegetables — mashed potatoes, steamed spinach, beans
- Fruits — applesauce, bananas, sliced fruit, most berries (but watch out for seeds)
- Treats — ice cream without nuts, milkshakes, Jell-O, cake