The holiday season is here, and with it comes colder weather, cute and festive clothes, and one of the best parts… the amazing holiday food! If you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment, it can be a struggle to know which foods you can indulge in versus which ones to avoid.
Not to worry, though! Here at Gross Orthodontics, Dr. Amanda Gross and her team in El Paso make orthodontic treatment easy to keep track of. If you’re wondering what kind of foods are orthodontist-approved this season, we’ve got you covered.
What Can You Eat With Braces?
There are so many holiday foods you can still eat with your braces. Here are some that you can enjoy:
- Turkey Breast: When cooked tender, turkey breast is an amazing holiday main course. (Just don’t eat it off the bone!)
- Ham: Ham is totally acceptable to eat with braces, as long as it’s tender and not too chewy.
- Mashed Potatoes: A serving of creamy mashed potatoes makes for a perfect side dish that’s gentle on your teeth.
- Pasta: Pasta-based sides like mac and cheese allow for easy chewing.
- Soft Bread Rolls: Soft and warm bread rolls are perfect for you if you have orthodontic treatment.
- Cooked Veggies and Fruits: You can still get your daily dose of vitamins from steamed or cooked veggies such as carrots, green beans, or collard greens, and from soft fruits like cranberry sauce.
- Stuffing: As long as there are no overly crusty or hard pieces of bread in the stuffing, you’re in the clear!
- Pie: What would a holiday feast be like without pie? Once again, you can totally enjoy pie with braces, but make sure there are no overly chewy crusts around!
- Sweet Treats: Chocolate candy like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Hershey bars are perfect if you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment. Soft cookies and fudge are also great ways to treat yourself without worrying about your braces.
- Warm Drinks: A hot chocolate from Hive Java Lounge or a Dulche de Leche Latte from 787 Coffee hits the spot during the holidays. They’re also really good if you’ve had a recent braces adjustment at Gross Orthodontics!
What Should You Avoid With Braces?
There are some foods you should avoid if you have braces this season. Here are a few to watch out for:
- Crunchy veggies or fruits: These may look appetizing, but they can pop off a bracket or dislodge a wire.
- Any meat that’s on the bone: Using your teeth to eat meat on the bone can also cause a bracket to break.
- Corn on the cob: The same thing about boned meat applies to this, too! You risk bending wires or breaking brackets by trying to eat corn on the cob.
- Chewy candies (like gummies, caramels, or taffy): Chewy candies are amazing during the holidays, but they’re a nightmare for your braces.
- Nuts (on their own and in food): Nuts are some of the crunchiest foods, which means they’re some of the most dangerous for your orthodontic treatment.
Hygiene Tips for the Holiday Season
Just like after every other meal, keeping your teeth and brackets clean is important for your orthodontic treatment and to keep your teeth looking beautiful. Here are some ways you can keep your teeth sparkling clean this holiday season:
Brush your teeth after eating or drinking.
It’s fun to enjoy a piece of sweet potato pie on Christmas Day, but the last thing you want is to be picking bits and pieces of it out of wires hours later. Brushing your teeth after a meal or after a sweet drink will help clear away any extra food or drink particles left in your teeth or behind your wires.
For acidic-based drinks, wait an hour before brushing.Soda and other acidic drinks can stain your teeth if you leave them on your teeth. Make sure to wait an hour before brushing, as the acid can soften your enamel. This can cause permanent damage if you brush too quickly afterwards.
Use a water flosser or interdental brusher.
Flossing can be a real chore with braces sometimes, but water flossers and interdental brushes can save you the time and the extra hassle while still cleaning away at your teeth. If you need help deciding what type of flosser to get, we recommend you ask Dr. Gross during your next appointment at Gross Orthodontics or by contacting our office in El Paso. We’re happy to help you with any of your questions!
Make sure to pack a “braces essential” kit if you’re traveling.
Whether you’re headed on the road to a relative’s house or going out of town to watch a Christmas concert, be sure to keep a “braces essentials” kit with tools to help you keep your braces clean (and to take care of quick fixes if something goes wrong!). Some tools we recommend are:
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Floss and interdental brushes
- Your water flosser (if you have one)
- Compact mirror
- Orthodontic wax (in case a bracket or wire causes you discomfort)
- Lip balm or Chapstick
All of these are easy to find at your local Albertsons’ or Walgreens’ pharmacy, and are invaluable if you’re on the road with braces.
Easy Orthodontic Fixes for the Holidays
Sometimes, you make mistakes. Foods can have unexpected hard bits in them, or you forget to avoid a certain food with your braces. It happens!
If you run into an unexpected issue, don’t let it steal from your holiday! Here are some quick fixes:
- Broken bracket? Stick some orthodontic wax on the bracket and give our office a call so we can get it fixed as soon as possible.
- Unexpected braces discomfort? Using a warm compress, taking over-the-counter pain relievers as needed, swishing with warm saltwater, and eating gentle and soft foods can help ease discomfort from your braces.
- Poking wire? Place some wax on the end of the wire to avoid it poking you, or–if need be–use sterilized nail clippers or wire cutters to snip off the end of the wire. (Make sure to call us as well so we can give you further advice or make further adjustments.)
Gross Orthodontics – Beautiful Smiles All Year Round
The holiday season is full of joy and good food. You can enjoy both of these things with your orthodontic treatment by following the guidelines we’ve provided.
If you want to get started on your treatment, Dr. Gross and her team at Gross Orthodontics would love to talk to you! Schedule your free consultation at our El Paso office now to give your teeth the best gift of all: a beautiful and confident smile!
