One of the biggest concerns most orthodontic patients have is whether they can still eat the foods they love even with braces on their teeth. There are several ways around limitations – and it’s easier than you think to continue to enjoy your favorite foods no matter where you are in your orthodontic journey.
Braces-Wearers Must Be Cautious with These Foods
It’s unfortunate that so many foods are forbidden when you wear braces, even some of the healthiest foods, but this break from your regular diet is temporary. Usually in less than two years, your braces will be gone and you’ll enjoy the foods you’ve always loved in their entirety. In the meantime, these are foods to steer clear of:
- Apples: Foods that are good for you aren’t always good for your braces. Apples are safe for consumption most of the time if you’re careful about preparation. Biting down into a whole apple with its skin in place is a no-no for anyone with braces. Peel the skin and you still risk disaster. Better to cut the apple into small pieces for the safest and easiest eating.
- Pizza: Hot, soft pizza is often safe for braces wearers. It’s when you dig into cold pizza and start pulling hard with your teeth to take a bite that you risk a problem with brackets and wires. To be safe, no matter the temperature of your pizza, use a knife and fork to cut it into pieces and eat the pizza bite by bite, avoiding chewy crusts.
- Corn on the cob: No one with braces should bite down on a fresh cob of corn. But this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this special summer food. Simply cut off the kernels and use a fork to eat them in larger bites. You’ll still have to clean your teeth carefully but you won’t risk orthodontic damage.
- Gummy bears, etc.: Chewy and sticky foods aren’t recommended for anyone with brackets and wires on their teeth. However, you could suck on a gummy bear to enjoy the flavor, then discard the sweet before you’re tempted to bite it. Besides getting stuck on your brackets and wires and damaging them, fruit snacks and other chewy candies can get caught in the nooks and crannies, putting you at risk for tooth decay and making cleaning your hardware that much more difficult.
Get Invisalign
If you want to avoid any food restrictions at all during your orthodontic journey, talk to your Center City orthodontist about whether you’re a good candidate for Invisalign. You must remove the clear aligners for every meal or snack, which might sound inconvenient but it means you can eat whatever you want without worrying about damaging hardware. Having freedom while wearing braces is a great joy for patients indeed.
You can still eat the foods you love, even if you’re wearing braces. Talk to Drs. Roberts or de Marsche in Center City, Philadelphia, to find out how. Schedule a consultation for yourself or your teen.