On your first week of braces, it is completely normal to feel some soreness and discomfort, given that your teeth are just beginning to feel accustomed to the wires and brackets pulling them to their desired location. After every adjustment appointment, you may feel something similar to your first week due to your dentist retightening your wires.
Fortunately, orthodontists have a whole variety of tips, tricks, and diets for you to follow according to your soreness and pain levels. Although this is only usually felt in the first few days after an appointment, you can take over-the-counter pain medications if needed.
What Can I Eat the First Week of Braces?
Right after your orthodontist installs your braces, they will begin explaining everything you need to know to keep them in the best condition possible. To do this, they will teach you how to maintain proper oral health and what you can and can’t eat during your treatment. Your diet will consist of mainly avoiding hard or sticky foods.
This diet is slightly stricter during your first week with braces in Portland. You should refrain from everything spicy or acidic as your mouth will be sore and sensitive during these first few days. The orthodontist will recommend you stick to soft foods and nothing too hot or cold, although cold drinks can help in numbing your mouth.
There is a great variety of soft foods to choose from; here, we present to you some interesting and delicious recipes that you can make at home.
Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs are a great meal to have with braces, given that they don’t stick to your appliances and are very easy to brush off after the fact. They can serve as part of your typical breakfast or as a last-minute addition to your lunch or dinner. Additionally, it’s very easy to make scrambled eggs, and almost everyone knows how to. If you are looking for something a little bit fancier, then you can try out Gordon Ramsay’s scrambled eggs.
Pancakes From Scratch
Everyone loves pancakes; whether it is for breakfast or dinner, it’s a great way of filling up with a delicious treat. Their soft texture allows for any braces patient to enjoy them without having to worry about damaging the appliance. However, pancakes do tend to be sugary treats, and sugar can lead to tooth decay and cavities if left on your teeth for long periods of time.
The occasional pancake here and there followed by a proper brushing technique won’t present a problem for your braces or teeth. Here you can find a classic homemade pancake recipe or a sugarless pancake variant if you would like to remove any possible mishap from your treatment.
Smoothies
As the name implies, smoothies are great for their smooth consistency, which makes them a great drink for those with braces. This beverage is full of healthy ingredients that you can add or remove to your liking. Here is a recipe for a great strawberry smoothie. Similar to when making pancakes try to keep sugary ingredients to a minimum.
Soups
Soups are a great meal for your first week with braces on. As you boil the vegetables to your desired tenderness and the meat used is generally cut into little pieces, there is no need for extensive chewing.
Here is a small vegetable soup recipe that can even be vegan or gluten-free if you want it to. You can also add any vegetable you have lying around for it to be not only delicious and safe for a sore mouth but also efficient in using everything available. Remember not to drink it too hot as your teeth and gums can be very sensitive during this moment. Avoid too strong spices like chilly or anything citric.
What Can I Eat After Getting Braces Tightened?
The food you can eat after a tightening session will depend on how much the session itself affects your braces and mouth, but as a safe option, you can follow the same diet designed for your first week with braces. Aside from the meals mentioned earlier, this can mean plates like yogurt, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, protein shakes, pasta, ground chicken, pudding, soft bread, bananas, etc.
This means at least returning to a soft food diet for a couple of days. You should also try to avoid any food that can cause sensitivity, like spicy or citrus foods and ice cream.
Contact us here if you need more information regarding your diet or general care for your braces. You can also schedule an initial consultation with us here.
