Life with braces is not an easy task. In fact it is quite frustrating but completely worth it when you think of that aesthetic smile at the end of the year. Since the treatment with braces takes 6 months to a year usually, we should take time to care for our mouth at this time.
Eating with braces will not be so easy as before as some foods can damage the arch wires, bands and brackets. Also your teeth tend to be tender every time the wire is changed.
Do you know what you can and can’t eat without braces?
Fruits and Vegetables: it is usually recommended that children eat 1-2 cups of fruit daily, but when you have braces it is challenging. Hard fruits and vegetables such as apple, pears, and carrots etc need to be cut into bite sized pieces as they may even pop a bracket and they can be chewed on with the back teeth. Soft fruits can be bitten with braces but after a wire change even they can be a night mare. Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries are easier for days when the teeth are tender. (Painkillers may help when the teeth are tender after a wire change.) Cooked vegetables may prove softer and easier to have with braces.
Grains: grains are usually an easy food type for braces wearers. However, hard crusted breads and ungrounded grains may be difficult as they may become stuck between the braces or even the teeth and may be difficult o remove. So better to avoid small seeds and grains. Avoid pulling food, as with a bun or bread with your front teeth at this time.
Dairy Products: these are an excellent choice for orthodontic patients as they are soft and require little chewing.
Meat: this is what many people like to have in their daily diet but poses problems because it is hard to chew and may loosen the bands surrounding the molars. Stringy meat may become stuck in the braces. Eating meat from the bone such as in chicken wings and ribs may even pop your bracket sending you to the dentist. Select lean tender meat in bite size pieces and always remove them from the bone before eating. Fish, chicken, lean beef or pork may be easy to chew on.
Nuts and Seeds: attempting to eat nuts and seeds can bend the arch wires. A bent arch wire may move the teeth to an undesired position prolonging the treatment period. Nut lovers will have to satisfy themselves with nut spreads (peanut butter / almond butter) or grind your nuts and use it as a topping for yogurt.
Candy: who can survive without candy? But having candy with braces can be destructive to braces as well as to the tooth surface as the teeth are vulnerable to decay with braces on. Hard and sticky candy can adhere to the brackets and cause difficulty in removal. Gummy candy will bend arch wires and get stuck under your braces attachments.
Most orthodontists recommend brushing after every meal or snack, with fluoride toothpaste and carefully removing any food that may have become lodged in between your brackets and teeth. If in case you are eating out, rinse your mouth with water to wash away the food debris. Remnant food particles not only cause tooth decay but halitosis as well. Ensure that your diet remains healthy during your orthodontic treatment. If you are having a hard time, try searching for a braces friendly cook book over the net.