Kids aren’t fond of braces, and it’s not hard to guess why. Besides the discomfort when they’re first placed and during adjustments, orthodontic treatments often involve a series of dietary restrictions that kids struggle the most to meet.  

And it makes sense; most of their favorite foods, like extra crusty pizzas and overly sweetened beverages, are the ones they need to restrict. Fortunately, there are ways to ensure your kids take care of their braces without incurring their wrath.

Our handy guide should help!  

Why Are Dietary Changes Needed with Braces?

As a parent, you probably know braces are an expensive but delicate treatment. When carelessly eaten, certain foods can damage the braces’ structure, loosen brackets, and even leave a wire hanging – all of which can cause injury to the oral tissues.  

But that’s not the only reason to look after what your kid eats while undergoing orthodontic treatment. Here are several other reasons why dietary changes are needed once your kid gets braces:

1. To Prevent Discomfort

Immediately after getting braces and adjustments, your child's teeth will probably feel sore for a day or two. Adding hard or crunchy foods to the mix will not alleviate the discomfort; in fact, it may even increase it.  

While their teeth get used to the new setting, your child should mainly eat soft and cool foods that calm the area. Moreover, foods that don’t require chewing or biting can also provide much-needed comfort for teeth and gums.

2. To Reduce the Risk of Stained Teeth

Drinking and eating foods high in sugar and not brushing soon after can cause teeth to stain. And when you have braces, the sugar only coats the exposed part of the teeth. Your child may develop stains around the brackets and wires of their braces, leading to uneven coloring.

That’s why it’s best to avoid sugary foods and drinks during an orthodontic treatment.

3. To Change Chewing Technique

One of the biggest risks when having braces is biting into hard foods with the front teeth and dislodging the frontal brackets. Dietary restrictions help prevent this. Your child might want to avoid foods that require using the front teeth, like apples or burgers. Instead, dentists advise eating foods you can cut into smaller pieces and chewing with the back teeth.

What Can You Eat with Braces?

If you clean your teeth properly afterward, you can still eat most food with braces. Some good choices include:

• Soft meats and chicken soft meats and chicken are safe for braces if they aren’t too chewy. Not reducing your kid’s protein intake while they have braces is important, as proteins play an important part in oral health and could even make the orthodontic treatment advance faster.

• Boiled vegetables are soft enough for braces and provide crucial nutrients children need when they’re young.

• Seafood without bones and shells, like crab, oysters, or cleaned salmon, is great for children with braces. Seafood is a crucial source of healthy fats and doesn’t have many carbs.

• Soft fruits like bananas, kiwis, strawberries, and pears are also an excellent choice.

• Soft bread like pre-cut loaves of bread, soft tacos, and tortillas are okay for children with braces to eat.

• Dairy products like soft cheese, yogurt, and dips are usually cool, which helps calm inflammation and reduce discomfort. Additionally, dairy is high in calcium, which helps strengthen teeth.

• Grains like rice, noodles, and all kinds of cooked pasta are soft enough for braces.

• Cakes, muffins, pancakes, and bland biscuits can be a good dessert choice. The same goes for sweet treats like ice cream, jelly, smoothies, and milkshakes. These should be eaten in moderation, and their braces should be properly cleaned afterward by brushing and flossing.

What Can’t You Eat with Braces?

So, you’re probably asking yourself: What types of food are out of the question? Here are some that your kids should definitely avoid:  

• Whole apples and pears, or carrots and other raw vegetables. Biting into hard fruits can damage the brackets in their front teeth. If your child wants to eat any of these, they should be cut into small, thin pieces so they can directly chew with their back teeth.

• Hard or crusty bread. Hard rolls, bread, and pizza crusts can also be harmful to your kid’s brackets, so they should be avoided.

• Popcorn kernels. These can easily become stuck in braces or under the gum. They may even cause a bracket to come loose.

• Nuts. Most nuts are hard, and they can break wires and loosen brackets.  

• Hard meat. Limit your consumption of meat to soft cuts that do not require much chewing.  

• Caramel is a sticky food that can accumulate in brackets and archwires, which can ultimately break them.

• Lollipops. If sugary and hard foods are braces' biggest enemies, lollipops take the cake. Kids can break their braces by trying to chew on this hard candy, and the sugar can cause decay and teeth staining.  

• Chewing gum. Chewing gum is not as enjoyable with braces. It is difficult to remove once it becomes lodged in the brackets' grooves and around the wire.  

• High-sugar drinks. Juices and energy drinks can leave sugar residue on teeth, which can lead to discoloration and decay. Acidic drinks should also be avoided, as the acid harms the enamel and causes stains.

• Ice. Your child may be tempted to crunch ice, which can cause damage to the braces.

• Turmeric and other spices. If your child enjoys Middle Eastern and Indian food, try to reduce the amount of turmeric you put in it. The yellow spice powder may stain braces.  

Learn About Caring for Your Child’s Braces with Experts in Pediatric Dentistry in Franklin

Getting braces isn’t the end of the world—although your child may feel like it is. In the meantime, there are things you can do to ensure this process isn’t as uncomfortable for them.

Make sure they avoid foods that could cause damage, find substitutes they also enjoy eating, and have regular checkups with a pediatric dentist at Happy Harpeth regularly. We want to ensure your child’s orthodontic treatment is advancing worry-free.  

If you have any lingering questions, reach out!

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