Food Options with Dental Braces

Eating a healthy meal is essential for a well-balanced diet. If you are wearing braces, it is necessary to avoid certain types of foods and make healthier options. Let’s discuss which foods to avoid and options that will help you have a healthy smile while you are wearing braces, and afterwards.

Foods to avoid

Why should you avoid some foods? If you want to reveal a beautiful smile after your braces come off, or you don’t want stains and cavities to develop while wearing braces, you should avoid foods that can damage your braces or increase the risk of developing dental problems.

Some foods you should avoid while wearing braces are hard and sweet sticky foods. Some examples of hard foods to avoid are lollipops, nuts, ice, or, beef jerky. Hard foods are not friendly with braces because they can damage the braces when biting or chewing. For example, if the hard popcorn kernels get stuck between your teeth and braces, it can cause discomfort and inflammation requiring a visit to your dentist.

Even though the soft and sweet sticky foods sound safe when eating with braces, they can cause dental problems. The sugary and starchy foods are often made with highly refined sugars that the bacteria in your mouth enjoy. Over time, plaque buildup and acids produced by bacteria can cause cavities. Having cavities will require a visit to the dentist to have cavities removed and have your braces readjustment.

Healthy food options

So what foods can you enjoy while wearing braces? Wearing braces requires a commitment to restore your smile, and this means avoiding some foods, but you can still enjoy tasty foods. Some foods you can add to your meals are cooked vegetables, soups, yogurt, cheese, and eggs. These types of foods are often soft and do not require hard biting and chewing to break the food down. Avoiding hard foods reduce the chance of damaging the braces when you are eating.

It is essential to eat well and avoid certain foods when wearing braces, but it is equally necessary to take good care of your braces. Taking care of your braces means keeping up with daily maintenance of your braces by brushing and flossing. Food particles and plaque can form between your teeth and the cervices between your braces. Brushing and cleaning help reduce plaque build-up and prevents cavities from developing.

Remember the more you damage your braces, the longer you will have to wear braces. Talk to your dentist if you should have questions on how to clean and care for your braces. Be sure to contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161 for your appointment.