Tips for Wearing Braces: What Foods You Can and Can’t Eat
Key takeaways:
When you have braces, being careful of the foods you eat can help you protect your investment and maintain good oral health.
Avoiding hard, sticky, and certain crunchy foods can help prevent damage to braces and reduce the risk of cavities.
Clear aligners offer more flexibility with your foods than traditional braces. But they still require avoiding certain foods and practicing good oral hygiene.
Table of contents
As anyone who has had braces knows, improving your smile comes with a big price tag. Part of protecting your investment and making the most of your braces includes knowing what foods you can and cannot eat. This will help you avoid damaging your braces and will keep your teeth looking even better after removing them.
Why are there foods you should not eat when you get braces?
Your braces include many small parts like brackets, wires, and bands that can all be damaged by eating certain foods. Damaging any important part of your braces may mean another trip to your orthodontist to get it fixed. And it may lead to you having to wear your braces for a longer period of time.
Your oral health can also suffer if you aren’t careful of what you can eat while wearing braces. About 60% of people wearing braces only brush their teeth once per day. Regular brushing twice per day is important for healthy teeth and gums. If you have braces and don’t brush enough, the food debris stuck in your braces can increase your risk of cavities and gum disease.
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What foods should you avoid with braces?
Some foods can cause your brackets to break. Foods you should avoid while wearing braces include:
Hard or sticky candy (like butterscotch or gummy bears)
Popcorn
Nuts
Hard taco shells
Whole apples
Celery
Caramel
Gum
Beef jerky
Tortilla chips
You should also avoid drinking sodas if you have braces.
What are the best food options for people with braces?
There are plenty of food options that won’t damage your braces or leave stubborn stains after your braces are removed.
Breakfast
Eggs
Yogurt
Smoothies
Oatmeal
Soft pastries
Pancakes
Bananas
Lunch
Egg, chicken, or tuna salad
Sandwiches with soft bread
Salads (no croutons or big pieces of crunchy veggies allowed)
Burrito bowls
Macaroni and cheese
Soups
Dinner
Steamed veggies
Pasta
Mashed potatoes
Seafoods
Pizza (without the crust)
Spaghetti and meatballs
Soft dinner rolls
Snacks
Pita with hummus
Applesauce
Watermelon
Ice cream
Cottage cheese
Remember, brushing and flossing after each meal will help protect your teeth even more.
How long after getting braces can you eat?
You can eat right after getting braces. But it’s important to know that you’ll feel some sensitivity in your mouth for up to a week after getting them. This may make it difficult to eat certain foods.
You may want to eat especially soft foods in the first week after getting braces. Braces move your teeth with gradual pressure over an extended period of time. This can cause a bit of pain. But it does fade over time.
Can you eat different foods with clear aligners vs. traditional braces?
Your diet will be less restricted with clear aligners compared to traditional braces. That’s because you can remove your aligners to protect them when eating. And this drastically increases your food options.
Even though you can eat most foods with clear aligners, there are still certain foods that you may want to avoid. Avoiding sugary and sticky foods will help prevent bad breath and tooth decay.
You should also avoid some dark liquids that could stain your aligners, attachments, and teeth (like red wine, coffee and sodas). If you decide to keep these drinks in your diet, here are three rules to follow :
Remove your clear aligners while drinking.
Immediately rinse your mouth with water after drinking.
Brush and floss your teeth before putting your aligners back in.
The bottom line
Whether you opt for traditional braces or clear aligners, it’s essential to be mindful of the foods you eat. Avoiding hard, sticky, and sugary foods will protect your investment in braces and also lead to better oral health. If you have any questions about the foods you can and cannot eat with your braces, check with your orthodontist for guidance.
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References
Espinoza-Montero, P. J., et al. (2022). In vitro wearing away of orthodontic brackets and wires in different conditions: A review. Heliyon.
Karadas, M., et al. (2014). The effect of different drinks on tooth color after home bleaching. European Journal of Dentistry.
Pandey, V., et al. (2016). Impact of dental neglect score on oral health among patients receiving fixed orthodontic treatment: A cross-sectional study. Journal of International Society of Preventive and Community Dentistry.
