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Best Soft Foods to Eat while Wearing Braces

Best Soft Foods to Eat while Wearing Braces

Many people at some point are faced with problems eating. One of the main groups is for children and adults who have just had braces put on. They find themselves limited to eating softer foods and are concerned about foods getting stuck in the wire or of damaging the braces themselves.

Anyone who has had major dental work done or has undergone surgery or an accident can use the following suggestions on what to eat. It is important to eat a healthy balanced diet to keep yourself in premium health.

The following is a basic list of foods that you should consume on a daily basis along with the suggested number of servings. This will vary for children and adults so feel free to customize for your age and situation.

Recommended Foods and Number of Servings

  • Soft fruits and vegetables – 5 servings
  • Lean meat, poultry and fish – 2 servings – good choices include eggs, peas, lentils and beans
  • Milk and Dairy products – 2 servings
  • Breads and Cereals – 1 serving at each meal – can substitute with rice, pasta and potato
  • Fats/Sugars – small amounts as normal
  • Fluids – 8 glasses of water or substitute with tea, coffee, juice and milk. Avoid sugary drinks as they are not good for your teeth

If you find it difficult to eat then you may want to eat small meals throughout the day. Many people find that 5 meals spaced about 3 hours apart works really well. In between you can drink your daily fluids.

While some foods are soft and easy to eat others are not but it is still possible to include them in your diet. This can be achieved by blending foods and then drinking them as a shake or smoothie.

Here are some great food choices:

  • Scrambled eggs
  • Mashed potatoes for added protein grate some cheese into the potatoes
  • Mashed squash, carrots, peas etc
  • Pureed soups – a great way to get plenty of vegetables in each day
  • Yogurts
  • Cottage cheese
  • Bananas
  • Applesauce
  • Peanut butter – great source of protein
  • Milk

You can soften foods by certain cooking methods and making soups, stews and casseroles are a great way to do this. You can make this easier on yourself by using your slow cooker. Meat turns really soft when cooked in liquid in your slow cooker and is much easier to digest. Even if the person is concerned about eating the meat, the sauce and gravy will be full of nutrients. Use your Crockpot to cook up batches of beef stew, chili and chicken soup.  Plus there are many recipe books that contain plenty of Crockpot recipes.

By following this advice you should easily be able to come up with a list of soft foods which can be enjoyed by the whole family, and not just the person wearing braces. For a treat don’t forget about giving your kids a treat of ice-cream, it is nice and soft and will help them feel better about their braces.

 

Dr. Reza Salmassian is a Board Certified Orthodontist. For any questions regarding this article or to schedule your complimentary orthodontic evaluation, please contact Dr. Salmassian’s office at 661-222-7444 or visit us at www.salmassianortho.com

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