8 Tips To Eat Comfortably When You Have Dental Braces

Dental braces (Orthodontic treatment) are used to align your teeth which might not be properly aligned in the mouth. You might be having unesthetic feeling with your teeth, difficulty in eating as your teeth do not contact properly or even sometimes feel your jaw is protruded. In such cases dental braces is the choice of treatment. In some cases, where too much of problem is not seen, dental aligners or invisible braces can be used.

The first thought that everyone gets when getting the braces is “How will I eat?”
So, this article will help you simplify on how you can eat almost everything even when you have braces on.

Related: At what age should my child see an orthodontist?

Tip 1

Eat Soft food: When you get your braces, your teeth and the surrounding structures might be sore for few hours or days. This is the toughest time but also mean that the braces are doing their work which is a good thing. So, prefer eating soft diet. You can take smoothies, juices, curd, butter milk, milk and bread, oats, soups, dalia, porridge, rice, dal etc. You can add anything soft to this list depending on your eating habits.

Tip 2

Cut Your Food Into Small Pieces: Always remember to cut your food into small pieces before eating. Eventually you would be able to eat everything with braces but do not take big bites. Cut everything into small pieces before eating. This will help in keeping the bracts intact.

If you want to eat raw fruits, shred them and then eat. This will help you eat more comfortably and give you nutrition at the same time.

Tip 3

Avoid Sticky Food: Avoid eating food that sticks, e.g. chewing gums, biscuits, eclairs, chips etc. This would stick to your braces and would be difficult to remove without proper brushing. So, avoid sticky food. Otherwise also sticky food is not good for teeth as they are the major cause of cavities.

Tip 4

Avoid Biting With The Front Teeth: Avoid taking bites with the front teeth. When you bite from the front teeth the braces tend to come off. So, orthodontists always advise not to bite anything from the front teeth till you have the braces on. Taking a bite of an apple, burger or a corn cob with the front teeth as you use to do before getting the braces, is a big no. Cut it into pieces and enjoy. Remove the corn from the corn cob and then eat.

Tip 5

Chew With Your Back Teeth: The back teeth are meant to chew. The surface area of the back teeth i.e. the molars and the premolars is more than the front teeth. So, remember to chew with your back teeth always.

Tip 6

Avoid Hard Food: Hard food like chips, bread and pizza crusts, popcorn, raw fruits, nuts, dry fruits, should be avoided. If you want to eat dry fruits soak and shred and then have. Hard food can break the braces which then can cause discomfort until you meet your orthodontist. So, best is to avoid hard food completely or find an alternative way to eat.

Tip 7

Eat Slowly: Eat slowly taking very small bites and with your back teeth. This way you might not break your braces. The surrounding structure of your teeth i.e. your gums, ligament and bone would be weak due to the tension of the braces. So, avoid eating fast as you might be in pain later.

Tip 8

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene: Maintaining good oral hygiene when you have braces on is one of the most important thing. Your orthodontist might have recommended you a good orthodontic brush. Brush twice daily with an orthodontic tooth brush. Rinse after every meal and floss regularly. As it might be difficult to floss using the traditional floss, you can switch to a water flosser. Maintaining good oral hygiene will also prevent cavities, and gum disease. Also remember to rinse with luke warm water with salt twice a day. This again will help in keeping your gums healthy.

Getting braces is not an end to eating food that you love. You just need to modify the way you eat your food and you are good to go. As you get used to the braces you get used to the way you can eat your favourite food. So, only modifications in the food and diet is what is required.

To book an appointment with our orthodontist for orthodontic treatment (Braces) visit us at www.32sparklets.com

Disclaimer:

This blog provides tips on eating comfortably with dental braces. The opinion and content on this blog is only for conversational purposes and should not be interpreted as medical or dental advice pertaining to any particular individual. If the reader or any other person has a medical or dental concern, he or she should consult with an appropriate licensed medical or dental physician or a health care provider.