What food can you eat with braces?

So, you have new braces. Your mouth feels a bit funny (and may be hurting a bit, too). Your mouth may even feel like it’s heavier because of the extra material on your teeth. If this is your first experience with braces, then you will feel like you won’t have many food options.

It is true that some foods cause more damage than good when eaten with braces. You don’t want to consume foods that hinder your braces’ ability to move your teeth. Also, you don’t want to consume foods that may loosen or break your brackets.

All dentists will agree that sticky, crunchy, and tough-to-chew foods will extend the time of having braces and cost more in dentist visits. However, you will be able to eat a lot of the foods you like while wearing your braces. Therefore, you should not worry about having to eat bland foods that are not satisfying to eat. A little self-discipline, careful chewing and extra use of your knife and fork will go a long way to help you find foods to eat while you have braces.

Acceptable foods to eat with braces

Soft foods are highly recommended after the first few days of getting your braces. Also, you may want to avoid all meats, breads and vegetables that are ‘al dente’ or appear to be hard to chew. Remember, the objective is to eat foods with the delicacy of your braces in mind.

Here is a brief list of some foods that are good to eat when wearing braces:

• Fruits – juice, bananas and apple sauce
• Vegetables – beans, peas, steamed spinach, mashed potatoes and yams
• Meats/poultry – meatballs, lunch meats and soft-cooked chicken
• Grains – soft-cooked rice, pasta and noodles
• Dairy – soft cheeses and pudding
• Breads – sliced sandwich bread, pancakes, muffins (no nuts), soft tortillas, pancakes and biscuits
• Seafood – filleted fish, tuna and salmon
• Treats – milkshakes, smoothies, jelly, cake and ice cream (no nuts)
• Other – hamburgers, hot dogs, eggs, chilli, beans and other soft meals that are not sticky!

Foods you shouldn’t eat with braces:

• No ice. It will cause severe damage to your braces.
• Hard foods like pretzels, bagels, nuts, raw vegetables, pizza crust and chips will knock off brackets and wires if eaten.
• Tough meats will loosen brackets and wires.
• Hard chips like Doritos and taco shells can cause a hard ball on your braces. This will make them difficult to take off (and may be painful).
• Sticky foods (most soft sweets) may pull brackets off and cause tooth decay when they get stuck between the wires and brackets.

A final word on eating with braces

Keep in mind this list is not a representation of all the foods you could eat with braces. For items not listed on this page, just consider what it’s like to chew the food. If the food is easily chewable and not sticky, then you can eat it in small pieces to reduce the odds of damaging your braces.

See our clinician availability and book a slot that works best around your schedule. Only Private appointments are bookable.

You just got braces and the new sensations in your mouth maybe make you have a lot of questions. Now you wonder what you can and what you can not eat with braces.

You can be reassured, your diet will not change drastically overnight, you will only have to adjust the way you cook or eat certain foods so that you can continue to eat a balanced diet. You will also need to adopt good dental hygiene so that your treatment goes as planned.

Foods to avoid with braces

Whether you wear traditional metal braces, sapphire braces, ceramic braces or lingual braces, there are certain foods to avoid with braces. 

Hard foods

First of all, any hard foodstuff, such as overcooked bread, popcorn, or ice cubes. Biting directly into a sandwich tends to put force on the appliance, and in addition to the pain and discomfort it can cause, you run the risk of detaching your braces.

Raw and whole fruits and vegetables

You will need to be careful with some fruits and vegetables, such as apples, raw carrots, or corn on the cob, if you plan to bite directly into them. It is preferable to consume pre-cut pieces, or opt for cooked vegetables.

Sticky foods

Sweets, candies and gum will be your worst enemies while wearing braces. They will stick to the entire surface of the device and will be difficult to clean.

Sugar

It is better to avoid sugar while you are wearing orthodontics, simply because dental hygiene is complicated by itself with braces, and sugar can bring about cavities.

Hard and fibrous meat and fish

They will be difficult to chew but also more difficult to clean. Fibrous products tend to catch between teeth and are more difficult to remove with braces.

Non-edible products

Avoid chewing on pens or other objects, or using your teeth to cut or open a container or package.

As a general rule, soft foods for braces, such as pasta, soft fruit and veg, and soft desserts, cause less pain and so should be consumed in far greater quantities than hard foods. 

What foods can you not eat with clear braces?

Clear braces have other disadvantages that add to the list of foods not to eat with clear braces. There are some foods you can’t eat with transparent braces. Some foods that stain clear braces include:

• Tea
• Coffee
• Soft drinks with colorants
• Wine
• Spinach
• Sauces: tomato, ketchup, mustard, soy, vinegar...
• Curry
• Any product with a large amount of artificial coloring
• Tobacco products

Foods to avoid with braces in case of suffering from mouth ulcers and irritations

Citrus foods

Lemon, grapefruit, orange, mandarin, especially pineapple, which is acidic and will greatly irritate mouth ulcers further.

Spicy foods

Avoid spicy foods as they cause inflammation in the mouth and are not ideal when suffering from preexisting irritations.

What to eat during the first week of having braces?

In the first days after placing the orthodontic appliances, you will experience new sensations that are not always pleasant and you will have to get used to eating with the orthodontic appliances on.

It is normal that you feel some pain during this period, so recommended foods to eat during the first week of having braces include:

• Purees
• Soups
• Broths
• Yogurts
• Compotes or ripe fruits
• Boiled eggs
• Steamed fish

These foods will help you maintain a balanced diet without overstressing your teeth. For braces, soft foods are the best way of ensuring less pain and discomfort, from the very beginning of treatment through to the very end.

How to eat with braces?

A lot of people question how to cook and how to eat with braces. It is advisable to change the way of cooking to adapt all food to the orthodontic appliance. Therefore, it is better to consume cooked vegetables, pre-cut pieces and easy-to-chew foods. Some soft foods to eat with braces are:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Fish and meat without fibers
• Eggs
• Soft bread
• Cheese
• Starches such as pasta and rice

Invisible aligners Impress: Orthodontics without food restrictions

Forget about food limitations and restrictions during your treatment. Invisible aligners have revolutionized the orthodontic market, not only because they are completely invisible, but also because they are removable and offer patients much more flexibility.

They are removed during meals so you can eat normally without worrying about damaging or staining the appliance. They also allow you to have better dental hygiene by brushing properly without being bothered by the metal of traditional braces.

Clear aligners are not only invisible, convenient and comfortable, but also one of the cheapest options on the market. At Impress, we offer different types of treatment depending on the complexity of your case.

We invite you to book a first consultation without obligation to discover how Impress invisible aligners work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it better to eat hot or cold food to relieve pain from braces?

It is advisable to eat cold food if you feel pain, as heat tends to aggravate existing inflammation.

How long after putting in the braces will I be able to return to a more normal diet?

You will feel some pain for the first few days; once your teeth get used to this pressure, you can eat more normally, always avoiding hard and sticky products as mentioned above.

Can you drink alcohol with braces?

You can drink alcohol with braces, as long as you maintain good oral hygiene.

Do I have to remove the intermaxillary elastics at lunchtime?

Yes, the elastics should be removed when eating and brushing your teeth. Then you will need to put on a new pair of elastics to keep them working properly.

Can you eat chocolate with braces?

Yes, you can eat chocolate with braces but try not to bit into it too hard to avoid undue pressure on the braces and make sure you only eat it in moderation.

Can you eat crisps with braces?

You can eat crisps with braces if they have a soft texture while wearing braces, but you should avoid hard and crunchy crisps like tortilla crisps as these can put extra pressure on the brackets.

Can you chew gum with braces?

You shouldn’t chew gum with braces as the sticky texture can get stuck in between the brackets and potentially dislodge bands or the more delicate parts of braces.

Can you eat popcorn with braces?

Eating popcorn with braces can cause problems as the popcorn hulls can get stuck in the braces and sweet popcorn can cause a separate problem given the high sugar content.

Can you drink fizzy drinks with braces?

You can drink fizzy drinks with braces, although, while fizzy drinks don’t threaten to dislodge or directly damage the braces, the high sugar content can lead to staining and plaque build-up.