What Can My Child Eat While Wearing Braces?

Posted on November 9, 2023

Is it time for your child to get braces? According to Pop Science, metal braces have been around for roughly 5,000 years and have proven to be a reliable way to straighten misaligned and crooked teeth. As you prepare for your child’s braces treatment, you may wonder what type of foods your child can now eat and what they should avoid.

Soft Bread

If your child enjoys eating sandwiches or bread with their meals, they can continue to do so. Just make sure it’s soft bread. Be careful with breads that have a crusty exterior such as sourdough. If your child wants to eat harder breads, you may want to cut them up into small pieces.

Cooked Grains

There’s no need to skip family pasta night because your child is undergoing braces treatment. They can also enjoy cooked rice and other noodles. Enjoy a heaping bowl of oatmeal for breakfast in the morning and don’t forget to add some healthy soft fruit.

Soft Fruits

Speaking of soft fruits, your child can make sure they get enough nutrition with various soft fruits daily. They can enjoy peaches, bananas, grapes, and various melons. Get plenty of vitamin C from kiwi and pineapple. If your child can’t live without crunchy fruit like apples, make sure you cut them up into small pieces first.

Soft Veggies

Your child can continue to get nutrition with various soft vegetables. So cook plenty of peas, broccoli, cauliflower, tomato recipes, and sweet potatoes. Carrots are often too hard to eat with braces, so you may want to cook them to soften them for easier consumption. If you have a juicer at home, serve your child juiced fruit and vegetables that are too hard to consume.

Soup

There’s nothing like a hot bowl of soup, especially on a cold winter day. Gather the vegetables, broths, and softer meats for a bowl of soup or chili your child will love. One of the great things about soups is it’s a great way for your child to eat several vegetables.

As you can see, there are some dietary adjustments when your child has braces, but that doesn’t mean your child won’t have delicious food available to them. Your child can still eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, just be mindful of the texture. If your child is ready for orthodontic care, visit our local office at Jacaranda Smiles today for a consultation.