Snacks You Can Eat with Braces

They say maintaining beauty and image doesn’t come without some sacrifice. With braces working 24/7 to restore your smile, you will have some food restrictions. Orthodontics will work in your favor if you eat the right foods that don’t damage the brackets, bands, and wires on your braces. It is common to overstep and forget since some of these snacks are healthy but can be detrimental to the braces. Are you determined to achieve the desired results with braces? Let’s find out which of the foods to eat and which ones to avoid.

Fruits
Fruits have a lot of benefits to offer. It is ideally hard to find a fruit that has adverse health side effects. However, fruits such as apples can be difficult to eat with braces since they are hard, and the external forces exerted on the braces can cause them to break. Pears and peaches pose the same risk. Orthodontists strongly advise against biting into these hard fruits and instead recommends cutting them into thin slices that are easy to chew. Fruits such as strawberries, bananas, berries, and mangoes are tender and easy to eat, causing no harm to the structural integrity of the braces. Remember to brush your teeth to avoid the development of cavities as some fruit debris may stick in between the brackets and teeth. You could also consider making smoothies and juices to make consumption of the fruits easier.

Snacks
You are probably looking for something that’s not hard to chew. Snacks such as nuts are going to cause problems in the presence of braces. Doctors advice on blending the nuts into butter, taking healthy drinks such as yogurt, apple sauce, smoothies and also hard-boiled eggs.

Meat Meals
Thick meat that requires tearing from the bone can be tough to enjoy when you have braces. Biting on hard meat can cause brackets to pop off or the bands to loosen up. While some may consider doing away with meat until the completion of the orthodontic treatment, people with braces should consider sticking to tender meat separated from any bones and cut into bite sizes.

Vegetables
Vegetables are yet another class of healthy foods. Nonetheless, hard vegetables such as carrots and broccoli should be avoided when undergoing treatment. These vegetables are better off being steamed or boiled to soften rather than chewing on them while hard. If you prefer eating them raw, consider cutting them into small sizes.

Regardless of what you eat with braces on, it's essential to keep up with routine oral hygiene practices. Brushing and flossing should ensure that your teeth are safe from bacteria and other dental problems. Contact Dr. Petra Schubert today for all your orthodontic needs and consultations.

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