Braces are an important step to get a straighter, healthier smile, but they do come with a few lifestyle adjustments, especially with what you eat. Your regular diet while wearing braces will have a huge influence on the comfort of your treatment, and the success of your results. If you’re having treatment using traditional Lake Oswego braces, you should be aware of which foods are suitable for your braces and suppress foods that may endanger treatment or delay your treatment.
What to Eat With Braces: Soft, Wholesome Ideas
Of all the things to keep in mind when it comes to eating with braces, following a diet of softer foods that won’t be too taxing to your brackets and wires is one of the most essential. Due to you adjustment appointments, your teeth may be tender so you may find it easier to eat on soft foods for the first few days after an adjustment.
Dairy Products: Soft cheeses and yogurt and milkshakes are awesome choices for braces wearers. They are also simple to consume and deliver calcium that can reinforce your teeth.
Cooked Veggies: Raw veggies can be quite hard to bite into, but cooked veggies, such as carrots, squash, or spinach, are much softer and easier to chew. They also offer vital vitamins and nutrients to maintain oral health, in addition to maintaining your gums and teeth.
Pasta and Noodles: Soft pasta dishes are also a good choice for braces users. You can eat spaghetti, macaroni without damaging your brackets or wires.
Fruits: Choose soft fruits, such as bananas, applesauce, or peaches. Juicy, soft fruits are a good source of vitamins, but steer clear of biting straight into hard fruits such as apples and raw pears which can break your braces.
Lean Proteins: If cooked well, soft meats such as chicken, turkey, or even fish are simple to chew.
What Not to Eat with Braces: Hard, Sticky, and Crunchy Foods
There are a ton of foods that you can eat while you wear Lake Oswego Braces but there are also some popular foods that may cause broken brackets, loose wires, or even further delays in your treatment. Here are foods to steer clear of to maintain your braces and teeth healthy:
Avoid Hard Foods: Hard foods like hard candies, ice, or nuts can damage your braces and should be avoided. Eating these types of foods can cause brackets to break or wires to loosen, possibly requiring an extra visit to your orthodontist to repair.
Sticky Foods: It is best to avoid caramel, taffy, chewing gum, and other sticky treats that can get stuck in your braces and are difficult to remove. These kinds of foods can also help pull off your brackets and cause more problems with your treatment.
Chewy Foods: Bagels, licorice, and tough cuts of meat and other foods can be difficult to chew properly when wearing braces. These foods can also put strain on your braces and make the process more painful.
Popcorn: While popcorn is a tasty snack, it is one food you need to stay away from during your treatment. The kernels can become trapped in your braces, and biting down on them can lead to broken wires or brackets.
Sodas and Sugary Beverages: Limit sugary drinks such as sodas, fruit juices or energy drinks. These drinks can cause cavities and excessive plaque buildup around your braces which makes good oral hygiene difficult.
Caring for Your Braces and Your Mouth
Good oral hygiene practices are very important whether you are wearing braces. It's important to keep your mouth clean and free from food particles by brushing your teeth after every meal and using floss threaders to make sure you clean between your brackets and wires. Moreover, it can help prevent cavities and make your teeth stronger when using a fluoride-containing mouthwash.
Your Lake Oswego Braces expert will be able to help you learn about the best ways to make sure your diet is appropriate and you are properly caring for your braces and mouth as a whole during your treatment. If you are feeling any discomfort or have any problems with your braces, speak to someone for some help.
Conclusion
When you have braces, the foods you eat have a huge impact on your comfort and success of your braces treatment. If you are careful to rely on soft, nutritious foods and to steer clear of hard, sticky, or crunchy options, you can prevent potential damage — and help your treatment stay on track. If you are in treatment with Lake Oswego Braces or any other type of orthodontics it is important to always follow your orthodontist’s guidelines to keep your smile on the right path.
Dr. Thrower is the author of this article, If you want to learn more about Raleigh Hills Orthodontist you can visit to: garfinkleortho.com