Last Updated on July 7, 2014 by Dr Patricia Panucci

Braces and Thanksgiving foods to avoid and foods that are safe

With the Thanksgiving season coming up you may be wondering about some of the foods that you can eat safely as you attend your holiday feasts. Adapting to major events like holidays is always difficult when you first get braces. It’s very important that you follow this guide and potentially even bring your own menu choices for your Thanksgiving get-togethers so that you can avoid any damage to your braces or any concerns for your oral health.

ecstaticist via Compflight

Eating the wrong foods could potentially set your overall treatment progress back and mean that you need to keep your orthodontic appliance on much longer than intended. Certain foods can also become lodged within your braces and impose oral health issues. Any food that cannot be removed from an orthodontic appliance will simply lead to bacteria build up in your mouth and this can cause cavities and other issues. Maintaining your oral health is extremely important through the holidays and although you may be missing out on some of your favorite foods through Thanksgiving, remember that it will all be worth it when you finally have the perfect smile you’ve always dreamed of. Here are some of the biggest foods to avoid, and foods that are safe for consumption with braces or an orthodontic appliance on.

Foods to avoid:

Nuts:

Nuts are hard and crunchy and can cause damage as well as stick inside your orthodontic appliances.

Popcorn:

If you bite a hard kernel your braces could become damaged and the soft parts of popcorn can very easily get stuck in braces as well.

Chips:

Although chips are easy to eat pieces of chips can stay lodged in orthodontic appliances and are very difficult to get out. Chips should always be avoided if you wear braces.

Hard or sticky foods:

Most hard candies or sticky gummy candies should all be avoided.

Caramel:

Caramel is one of the most instructive foods that you can eat while wearing an orthodontic appliance. It can be hard as well as notoriously sticky and this means that it will only work to damage an orthodontic appliance should you try and eat it.

Foods that you can eat during Thanksgiving with braces or an orthodontic appliance:

Turkey and ham:

As long as you aren’t eating these off the bone and you are able to cut them into small and manageable pieces both of these Thanksgiving treats are perfectly safe to eat with an orthodontic appliance on.

Potatoes: 

Photo from www.delish.com

Mashed potatoes are easy to eat with orthodontic appliances on but you may want to avoid roasted or hard potatoes.

Corn:

If you take corn off the cob you can eat it just fine with an orthodontic appliance.

Green beans:

As long as they have been cooked well you should face no problems.

Dressing:

As long as it’s not too crunchy you should be able to eat dressing just fine.

Some desserts:

Desserts like Jell-O or even some pie can be okay to eat just as long as they aren’t too crunchy. Always be sure to brush your teeth after you eat any desserts.

If you have any other questions or concerns about foods that you should eat or avoid with your orthodontic appliance do not hesitate to contact Beach Braces today.

Foods to avoid in Thanksgiving

Dr Patricia Panucci

Dr Patti Panucci attended the University of Louisville School of Dentistry for four years, where she graduated with a DMD degree (May 2000) among the Top 10 in her class. Following that, she headed west to Los Angeles to complete her three-year residency at one of the top-ranked orthodontic programs in the country – the University of Southern California.

Along with her certificate in orthodontics, Dr. Panucci earned a master’s degree in craniofacial biology. During those three years, she fell in love with Southern California beach life and decided that this was where her future lay.