When you get braces, the type most often used is the metal or traditional braces. Today they are less noticeable and smaller than in the past. There is also the new heat-activated archwires that will utilize your body heat to help your teeth move less painfully and quicker into place than in the past. When you wear braces, it becomes more difficult to enjoy food. Here’s guidance to make the process easier.

Why Eat Soft Foods for Braces?

No matter what type of braces you have, your mouth is going to be sore for several days, maybe even for a couple of weeks. Your mouth is very sensitive so even a small change can be uncomfortable. There are several reasons why you may be experiencing the pain:

  • Your teeth are shifting into their new positions

  • The wires and brackets can also cause ulcers on your gums

  • Your mouth going through the motions of chewing

  • Your lips and cheeks could be rubbing against the braces

The pain is one of the main reasons that soft food is necessary for at least the first week. It will also take you time to get used to eating with braces so soft food is the obvious choice because this type of food requires very little chewing.

The Best Soft Foods for Braces

Make sure to eat slowing and avoid hard or sticky foods. Always cut things into small pieces and chewing with your back teeth for convenience.

The best food for braces is non-chewy soft foods as they are less likely to damage your braces and not cause further pain. These soft foods can include:

  • Smoothies

  • Soft cheeses

  • Yogurt without chunks of fruit

  • Pasta

  • Soft seafood dishes like tuna

  • Potatoes that is mashed, boiled, or baked but not the skin

  • Eggs, scrambled is the best

  • Soft bread without a crust, no seeds, pieces of who grains, or nuts

  • Pancakes

  • Biscuits

  • Pudding

  • Applesauce

  • Bananas, mashed or cut into tiny pieces

  • Ice cream

  • Milkshakes

  • Jello

  • Cottage cheese

  • Soups like tomato

  • Pureed baby food

  • Muffins without chunks or nuts

  • Tortillas that have been steamed until they are soft

  • Vegetables like carrots, beans, peas, as long as they are soft. You can also mash them or cut into tiny pieces

  • Meats that have been cooked in a pressure cooker or crock pot are tender enough to eat

Make sure that when you are eating you drink plenty of water. This can help to make swallowing easier and helps to rinse any food residue that has caught in your braces. If you still find it painful to go through the motions of chewing for the first couple of days drink smoothies that are healthy and packed with plenty of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

It may help to make a weekly meal plan of soft foods so you know that you are getting all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that your body needs. Here is an example of one day of soft foods for braces menu with suggestions of different foods you can have for that meal.

Meals

What to Eat

Breakfast

  • Oatmeal made with milk, plain or flavored

  • Add mashed fruits like pears

Lunch

Pasta salad with shredded chicken or a tuna sandwich

Snack

Pudding, jello, or a smoothie

Supper

  • Spaghetti with plain sauce and no chunky vegetables in it

  • Hamburger in tiny pieces and applesauce

  • If you want more vegetables in your diet, you could puree some vegetables like spinach or carrots and add them to the sauce.

As you can see, you will not starve when you have braces. You will just have to make some adjustments as to how you eat your food for at least a week or until your mouth is no longer painful and you learn how to chew with braces. Even after the pain has subsided, you will still need to make sure that you are not eating sticky foods that could be caught in your braces or hard foods that could break your braces. When you go to the dentist to have your braces adjusted and tightened, you will go back to eating soft foods for braces to help alleviate some of the pain caused by the adjustments.

ANY IDEAS ABOUT THIS TOPIC?

Please Log In or add your name and email to post the comment.

NAME:
EMAIL:
View All Comments /Add Comment