Choose Wisely What You Eat While Wearing Braces

Wearing braces during your treatment at Columbia Orthodontics with Dr. Croft always presents some unique challenges in the types of food you can safely eat. Choosing the wrong items can be difficult to remove from between your teeth and the appliance. Other foods may even break or loosen your braces.

Here is one recipe which we think works well for our patients.

Dinner recipe ideas

• 1 ½ pound ground hamburger
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 pound diced tomatoes
• 12 oz. tomato paste
• 1 package of dry spaghetti sauce mix for seasoning
• 10 oz. box dry lasagna
• 3 cups ricotta or cottage cheese or 1 ½ cups each mixed
• 1 ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 pound sliced or shredded Mozzarella cheese

Brown and drain your hamburger meat. Dice the garlic and simmer the hamburger, garlic, basil, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and powdered sauce mix for ½ an hour.

Cook the lasagna noodles as directed on the package and drain.

Beat the eggs and combine them with your ricotta or cottage cheese.

Layer 1/2 of the noodles in a 13 x 9 pan. Spread 1/2 of your cottage cheese mix on top of the noodles, then layer 1/2 of the mozzarella on top. Finish this layer with 1/2; of your hamburger mix. Repeat the layering with the other half of your ingredients. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes.

As a braces wearer you don’t have to give up meat.

You can enjoy ribs and chicken wings as long as you cut the meat from the bone before you eat. The same rule applies to turkey legs; do not gnaw on bones, because this can damage your braces.

Vegetables and fruits

You still need to include fruits and vegetables in your daily meals. Skip corn on the bob, whole apples, and raw carrots. Broccoli is soft but particles can become stuck in your braces, so be sure to brush and floss after your meal.

Desserts

Avoid caramel, taffy, and hard candies for dessert. Pudding and ice cream are fine, but low-sugar versions are best.

You mouth will most likely be sore after adjustments with Dr. Croft. Especially, at this time you need to stay with softer foods until the sensitivity subsides.

For any concerns call us at 360-883-3800. We are always glad to help.