What to eat with braces

During treatment, you may need to adjust a few things about your lifestyle to see the best results. Many of our patients worry that they’ll need to change their diets with braces, and while there are some foods we recommend you avoid, you can still enjoy most of your favourites.

Foods you can eat with braces

This list is not exhaustive. There are many, many foods you can enjoy during braces treatment, and if you are unsure, you can always clarify with our team. Some foods we recommend eating during treatment include:

Soft foods such as scrambled eggs, pancakes, porridge or pasta
Soft foods such as scrambled eggs, pancakes, porridge or pasta
Meat cut into small pieces
Smoothies without seeds (they can get stuck in your appliance)
Bread, toast, or pizza with the crust cut off
Soft fruits and vegetables (if they are hard or contain pits, you can grate them or cut them into bite-sized pieces)

Foods you should avoid with braces

This list of foods is only a guide. You may find there are several other foods that you must avoid eating while having orthodontic treatment. In general, we recommend that you avoid:

Hard or sticky foods (toffees, lollies, nuts, etc.)
Muesli and crunchy cereal (e.g. Nutrigrain)
Biscuits (e.g. tim tams, gingernuts, anzac biscuits and vita wheats)
Corn chips
Popcorn (please find another movie snack!)
Whole crunchy fruits and vegetables (e.g. apples or carrots)
Meat on the bone (e.g. chicken wings and T-bone steaks)
Corn on the cob (but you may eat corn cut off the cob)
Ice blocks, ice cream and ice cubes - just suck on these

Some hard foods can be softened in the microwave or in hot liquid. Just do your best to avoid anything particularly hard or sticky, as it can dislodge or damage your braces - causing potential oral trauma and lengthening your treatment time.

Please notify our team of any breakages in advance of your appointment, so that we are able to adjust the time necessary to rebond your bracket.

What to eat with braces

Have another question about eating with braces?

We know these lists don’t cover everything, so if you are unsure if you should eat something, or have a favourite food that isn’t listed, feel free to reach out to us and check. We would be happy to assist you with any of your questions.

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What to eat with braces

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