On top of more diligent oral hygiene routines and a few more visits to see us at Shine Orthodontics, one of the biggest adjustments when you get braces is eating with them. Cue: smoothies.
Gentle on braces and teeth, smoothies are also healthy and it’s easy to find flavor combinations you’ll like. Cold smoothies also help to temporarily soften the memory wire used with your braces, providing some relief from braces discomfort. In this post, your Thornton, CO orthodontist, Dr. Brandon Scheer, shares five braces-friendly and healthy smoothie recipes. Add these to your list of what to eat with braces in your first week and throughout treatment.
Foods to Eat With Braces
But before we dive into smoothies, let’s quickly run through what you can and can’t eat with braces. You can definitely eat a lot of the foods you’ve always loved, but you also need to watch out for foods that could damage your braces.
Soft foods as well as cold foods and drinks are easy on braces and soothe braces discomfort — whether you’ve opted for traditional metal braces, clear braces, or InBrace lingual braces. Think yogurt, applesauce, ripe bananas, soup, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pasta, mashed potatoes, and, of course, the smoothie ideas we have below!
As for foods with other textures, you might be asking, “So what can you eat with braces?” It’s more a matter of how you eat than what you eat when it comes to eating with braces. Chewy bread-based foods or crispy foods like cucumbers or apples? We suggest cutting these up into bite-sized pieces and chewing them carefully with your molars instead of using your front teeth to bite or tear off chunks.
Which Foods to Avoid With Braces
So how about foods to avoid with braces? Dr. Scheer recommends staying away from hard, crunchy, or sticky foods such as:
- Chips & pretzels
- Nuts
- Popcorn
- Crackers
- Hard taco shells
- Hard candy
- Ice
- Gum & gummy candies
- Caramel & toffee
Smoothie Ideas to the Rescue!
So back to smoothie recipes. Smoothies are a great idea when asking yourself what to eat with braces that are also good for your teeth and gums. Here, five healthy and braces-friendly smoothie recipes that also feel refreshing in summer.
Watermelon Smoothie
What says summer more than watermelon? Pro tip: freeze your watermelon chunks before blending for a slushie consistency. Find the recipe on Martha Stewart’s website.
Blueberry & Banana Smoothie
We like this blueberry, banana, and peanut butter smoothie because it covers all your nutritional bases: vitamins and minerals, protein, healthy fat, and fibre. Plus, it’s very low in added sugar — you could even take out the sweetener altogether. Get the recipe from All Recipes here.
Dessert in a Smoothie
A smoothie recipe that tastes like dessert? Yes, please. This strawberry and chocolate almond milk smoothie recipe from Eating Well ticks all the boxes: it’s healthy, low in sugar, tastes decadent and, bonus, is vegan-friendly.
Breakfast Smoothie
Your morning caffeine and a healthy breakfast can happen in one go with a Wake Me Up coffee smoothie from Live Eat Learn. This smoothie idea has whole grains, protein, fruit, and caffeine all in one.
Green Smoothie
A green smoothie gets your veggies in (hello, spinach!) yet still tastes appealingly sweet with your favorite fruit (mango and bananas for the win) and your choice of milk. Here’s a green smoothie recipe that lets you add mix-ins and swap out ingredients. It’s one of the healthy smoothie recipes to include in what to eat with braces in your first week of treatment.
Braces-Friendly Eating With Shine Orthodontics
Board-certified orthodontist Dr. Scheer, and the team at Shine Orthodontics are happy to chat more about braces-friendly smoothie ideas and answer your questions about the many things you can eat with braces.
Thinking about orthodontic treatment? Consider us your go-to for braces in Thornton, CO. Whether you’re looking into adult braces or braces for your child, you’ll find a personal and friendly experience that leads to amazing results!
Contact us for an initial consultation at our beautiful, state-of-the-art office.
