Snacking with Braces

by | May 2, 2022 | Dental Health

Are you craving your favorite snack food, but not sure if it’s ok to eat it with your new braces? Knowing which foods are braces-friendly can be tough when you don’t know what to look out for. Read on to learn more about safe snacking with braces.

Unsafe Foods for Braces

When talking about snacking with braces, it’s important to start by knowing which foods to avoid. Typically, any foods that are crunchy, chewy, hard, or sticky can be risky to eat with braces. In general, watch out for anything that might put too much force on your braces, get stuck in them, or pull a wire or bracket loose. If a food needs to be bitten into, like a whole apple, corn on the cob, or bagel, it’s also best to avoid it or cut it into smaller pieces before enjoying it.

It’s not fun to have to turn down your favorite snacks from time to time while you have braces, but remember that braces are only temporary and will give you a beautiful new smile to last a lifetime!

Safer Snacks

There is also good news about snacking with braces: all the fun new things you can try! Foods that don’t require a lot of chewing, such as delicious smoothies, milkshakes, and soft fruit, veggies, and dairy are all great choices.

Some hard veggies can be steamed and crunchy foods like cereals can be softened by soaking in milk, so don’t give up on your favorite snacks too easily! If there’s a snack you’ve been missing since you got braces, ask your orthodontist if it can be made safe enough to enjoy by cutting it into bite-sized pieces, cooking, or soaking it.

Braces Care After Snacking

Safer snacking with braces doesn’t just mean avoiding things that could send you to the orthodontist for a repair! It also means taking good care of your teeth and braces by brushing and flossing after snacktime. Your braces brackets add lots of new nooks and crannies to the surfaces of your teeth where food and plaque can hide. Keeping your teeth clean will help to ensure that your smile is not only straight, but also healthy and sparkling white at the end of your braces journey.

Call our Pearl Dental Office to make an appointment with a dentist who may be able to help you find out more about this topic, and improve your oral health.

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