Braces have brackets and wires – places and things for food to get caught up in. If you're not careful, this can lead to broken wires or decay. It's important to be knowledgeable about foods and how they'll affect your braces. On a positive note, you’re not that limited on what you can eat, but there are some things to consider.
Here’s a list of foods you can eat with braces:
- Bread, most types of bread are fine but avoid bread with nuts. Also, if you’re eating bagels or bread with a hard or chewy crust, it’s wise to cut it into smaller bites
- Dairy, this includes cheese, milk, and yogurt
- Grains such as rice, pasta, and oatmeal
- Protein including eggs, chicken, beef, tofu, fish, and pork
- Vegetables and fruits, when eating apples or carrots or other hard fruits or vegetables, it’s important to cook or cut raw ones into slices or smaller bites
After you first get your braces on and with each orthodontia visit, your mouth will probably be sore. You can still eat the foods you enjoy, but make sure that they are small bites and soft to avoid pain or damage to your braces.