What Can You Eat With Braces? Here Are Some Great Choices!

“Can I eat chips with braces?” “Can you eat chocolate with braces?” “Can I eat Goldfish with braces?” (We assume you’re talking about the cheesy crackers here.) The questions of what you can eat with braces and what you cannot eat with braces are probably our most popular questions.

It’s well known that there are food restrictions with braces, but people may not know exactly what those restrictions are. Weaver Orthodontics wants to eliminate some of the confusion around eating with braces. You may be surprised to find some foods CAN be eaten with braces as long as you eat them correctly. 

What to Eat After Getting Braces

Why are there restrictions on food for braces? Braces comprise brackets bonded to your teeth, bands that wrap around the back teeth, and archwires that connect them all and apply pressure to move your teeth into their proper places. 

Braces are made to be durable and last throughout your treatment. However, some foods can damage your braces, so we recommend avoiding them during your treatment. 

Braces treatment lasts 12-24 months on average, so your food restrictions are temporary! Once your braces are off, you can return to eating the same foods. Some find that eating with braces is healthier because many of the restricted foods are considered “junk” foods. 

Soft foods are the best to eat with braces right after you get them. That’s because your teeth will be sore the first few days after getting braces. Soft foods — mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, cooked oatmeal, cottage cheese, and ice cream — will put less stress on your teeth as they move. 

Foods to Eat With Braces

We could give you a list of foods to eat with braces, but just saying, “Don’t eat sticky foods with braces” or “No hard foods with braces” may be confusing. What do we mean by sticky vs. hard? What about things like meat or vegetables that aren’t sticky or hard? Let’s clarify what you can eat with braces and foods you can’t. 

Meats With Braces

“Can I eat steak with braces?” “Can I eat chicken with braces?” “What about eating bacon with braces?”

Meats with braces can be tricky. Deli meats, baked chicken, grilled lamb, and meatballs in your pasta are fine because they’re fairly soft and easy to chew. Bacon can be trickier because it can be hard and crispy. Don’t go for the thick cut; try not to get it too crispy, and bacon should be fine.

Chicken is fine if broiled, grilled, or baked. Fried chicken is OK if eaten carefully. Try cutting it into small pieces to avoid biting into that hard crust, which can pop a bracket or damage a wire. 

Tougher meats, like steak or pork chops, should be cut into small pieces and chewed carefully. Avoid overcooking your meat. Aside from being gross, it also makes them harder to chew.

Meats are fine with braces if you eat them carefully. 

Fruits With Braces

Can you eat grapes with braces? Can you eat apples with braces? What about strawberries? 

Generally, most fruits are OK to eat if cut into small pieces or slices. Grapes are fine as long as they are seedless, and apples and pears should be cut into slices or small bites. 

Don’t eat whole apples or pears because that front bite could dislodge a bracket or wire. Also, strawberries are OK, but brush and floss your teeth well afterward to remove any tiny seeds that may get stuck in your braces. 

For the most part, fruits are just fine to eat with braces. 

Vegetables With Braces

Can you eat carrots with braces? Can you eat corn with braces? What about broccoli or celery? 

Vegetables can be a bit tricky because some are hard to chew or can damage your braces. The key is to cook your vegetables until they are tender. That includes hard, raw vegetables like carrots and broccoli. Cut celery into small pieces if you are going to eat it. 

Corn may be one of the trickiest. You shouldn’t eat corn on the cob because it can pop a bracket or wire on your braces. Corn can be eaten off the cob, but the kernels can sneak around the brackets, so floss and brush carefully afterward. 

As for potatoes, the softer they are, the better. Mashed potatoes are just fine, but can you eat fries with braces? Absolutely! They are still soft enough to prevent damage to your braces and teeth. 

Breads With Braces

Breads are another tricky food group when it comes to braces. Can you eat sandwich bread with braces? Sure! Can you eat toast with braces? Carefully, but yes. Can you eat bagels with braces? No.

Why can’t you eat bagels with braces? Bagels are chewy, tough bread that can pull out a wire or loosen a bracket. Generally, if it’s hard on your teeth when you chew it, you can expect it to be hard on your braces. 

Hard breads such as breadsticks, pita chips, and pretzels should also be avoided. Soft pretzels and pita bread are OK if they aren’t too chewy. 

You generally want to avoid hard and chewy foods that can hurt your braces. 

Dairy Foods With Braces

Most dairy products are just fine with braces, and some are even recommended as foods to eat after you get braces. Ice cream, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, and milkshakes are perfect for eating after braces or adjustments. They will soothe your sore teeth. 

Hard cheeses should not be eaten whole with braces because they may damage your braces. This includes cheeses such as parmesan, asiago, and romano cheeses. However, finely grating these cheeses should allow you to eat them without problems!

Snack Foods With Braces

This is usually the category where we get the most questions. “Can I chew gum with braces?” “Can I eat popcorn with braces?” “Can I eat tortilla chips with braces?” “Can I eat Cheetos with braces?” 

Unfortunately, many snack foods are on the “don’t eat this with braces” list because they are hard, sticky, or chewy. That means they can damage your braces. This includes popcorn, tortilla chips, and regular chewing gum. 

The question of tortilla chips often raises the question, “Can I eat tacos with braces?” Yes, you can eat tacos with braces if they are soft. Avoid the hard shells, which can break your braces. 
Thin potato chips usually aren’t hard enough to break brace wires, but be careful when eating them. Avoid harder chips like kettle-cooked chips or bagel chips. 

Braces Care in Swampscott, MA

What happens if you eat the wrong food and pop a braces bracket? Weaver Orthodontics can fix you up. Just schedule an appointment for emergency braces repair in Swampscott, MA. But the best way to avoid a special appointment is to avoid the wrong foods. 

Luckily, plenty of great foods for you to enjoy during braces treatment. Who knows — you may enjoy your healthier eating during braces treatment!