With braces, eat soft, easy-to-bite foods like pasta, eggs, yogurt, rice and soft fruit, especially in the first days when your teeth are sore. Avoid hard, sticky, chewy and crunchy foods such as ice, hard candy, caramel, popcorn and whole apples, because they can break brackets or bend wires.
My simple rule for patients: choose soft breads, cut things up, and use a fork and knife as much as possible. Do that and you can still enjoy most of what you love.
Print the braces food guide (PDF)
On this page
- What can you eat the first week with braces?
- What everyday foods are safe with braces?
- What foods should you avoid with braces?
- What Tampa foods should you watch out for with braces?
- Can you chew gum, eat popcorn or pizza with braces?
- What drinks and sweets are bad for braces?
- How do you clean your teeth after you eat?
- What are good lunch and snack ideas for braces?
- What if a bracket breaks or a wire pokes?
- What can you eat with Invisalign?
- Printable braces food guide
- Frequently asked questions
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What can you eat the first week with braces?
In the first week, eat soft foods that need little chewing, like pasta, scrambled eggs, yogurt, soup, mashed potatoes, smoothies, bananas, oatmeal and soft fish. Cool or room-temperature foods feel best when your teeth are tender. Most of the soreness fades within a few days to two weeks.
| Food | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Pasta | Soft and easy to cut small |
| Scrambled eggs | Almost no chewing |
| Yogurt | Cool and soothing on tender teeth |
| Soup | Warm, not hot, and gentle |
| Mashed potatoes | No biting at all |
| Smoothies (with a spoon) | Cool, filling and easy |
| Bananas | Soft fruit you can mash or slice |
| Oatmeal | Soft, warm and filling |
| Soft fish | Flakes apart with a fork |
Tip: eat cool or room-temperature foods when your teeth are tender. For more on that first stretch, read our post on the sore first week.
What everyday foods are safe with braces?
Once the soreness passes, most everyday foods are safe with braces if they're soft or cut into small pieces. Sandwiches on soft bread, rice, cooked vegetables, cheese and soft fruit are all fine. Harder foods like apples and carrots work if you slice them thin.
| Safe as is | Safe with a tweak |
|---|---|
| Sandwiches on soft bread | Apples and carrots, cut into thin slices |
| Rice | Corn, cut off the cob |
| Cooked vegetables | Pizza, without the hard crust edge |
| Cheese | Tacos, with soft shells |
| Soft fruit like berries, melon and bananas | Meat, cut into small bites with a fork and knife |
The fork and knife are your best friends. Biting into food with your front teeth is what pops brackets off. Cutting it into small pieces and chewing with your back teeth avoids most problems.
What foods should you avoid with braces?
Avoid four kinds of food with braces: hard foods like ice and nuts, sticky foods like caramel and gummies, chewy foods like bagels and jerky, and crunchy foods you bite into, like whole apples and chips. They break brackets, bend wires and get stuck around the braces.
| Type | Examples | Why | Try this instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hard | Ice, hard candy, nuts, hard pretzels, popcorn kernels | Can crack or pop off brackets | Cold water, soft chocolate, soft pretzels |
| Sticky | Caramel, taffy, gummies, gum | Pulls on brackets and wires | Yogurt, pudding, soft fruit |
| Chewy | Bagels and tough bread, beef jerky | Bends wires and loosens brackets | Soft bread, tender meat cut small |
| Crunchy or biting into | Whole apples, raw carrots, corn on the cob, chips, hard taco shells | Front-tooth biting snaps brackets | Thin apple slices, cooked carrots, corn off the cob, soft tacos |
Gum is a gray area. Sugar-free gum is less of a problem than regular gum, but it can still stick to brackets and wires, so the safe default is to skip it.
What Tampa foods should you watch out for with braces?
The Tampa foods I warn patients about most are toasted Cuban bread, toasted Publix subs and stone crab claws. Crusty, toasted bread is hard on brackets, and cracking stone crabs with your teeth is a fast way to break one. Choose soft bread and let the tools do the work.
- Toasted Cuban bread. That crunchy, pressed crust is exactly what pops brackets off. Go for softer bread, or tear or cut it into small pieces.
- Stone crabs. Never crack the claws with your teeth. Use a cracker or mallet, pick the meat out with a fork and enjoy it.
- Toasted Publix subs. Skip the toasting, choose a soft roll and cut the sub into pieces instead of biting into the end.
You don't have to give up the food that makes Tampa home. Just eat it the braces way.
Can you chew gum, eat popcorn or pizza with braces?
It's best to skip gum and popcorn while you have braces, because both stick to or get caught in brackets. Pizza is fine with care: soft slices, with the hard crust edge cut off.
Can you chew gum with braces?
It's safest to skip gum, because it sticks to brackets and wires. Sugar-free gum is a gray area, so ask us at your next adjustment visit.
Can you eat popcorn with braces?
Popcorn is best to skip. The kernels and hulls get stuck under wires and can break brackets.
Can you eat pizza with braces?
Yes, with care. Eat soft slices, cut off the hard crust edge and avoid crunchy toppings.
What drinks and sweets are bad for braces?
Sugary and acidic drinks, like soda, sports drinks and energy drinks, are the biggest concern with braces. Sugar sits around the brackets, where it's harder to clean. Water is the best choice.
- Water first. It rinses food away and doesn't feed the bacteria around your brackets.
- Limit soda, sports drinks and energy drinks. If you have one, drink it with a meal rather than sipping all day.
- Rinse after snacks. A quick swish of water helps when you can't brush.
- Brush after eating when you can. Especially after sweets.
How do you clean your teeth after you eat?
After eating with braces, rinse with water, brush around every bracket, clean between teeth with floss threaders or a water flosser, and check your teeth in the mirror. It takes a couple of minutes and keeps your gums healthy while the teeth move.
- Rinse. Swish with water to loosen food.
- Brush. Angle the brush about 45 degrees, above and below each bracket.
- Floss. Use floss threaders or a water flosser to get under the wire.
- Check the mirror. Look for food caught around the brackets.
What are good lunch and snack ideas for braces?
Good braces-friendly lunches and snacks are soft, easy to cut and quick to pack. Think pasta, soft sandwiches, yogurt and soft fruit. Here are 10 ideas that work for school, work and sports:
- Pasta salad
- A sandwich on soft bread, cut into small pieces
- Yogurt or pudding
- String cheese or cheese cubes
- Bananas, berries or melon
- Thin apple slices
- Hummus with soft pita
- Rice and beans
- A soft tortilla wrap
- A smoothie in a thermos (with a spoon)
What if a bracket breaks or a wire pokes?
If a bracket breaks or a wire pokes, don't panic. Put orthodontic wax over anything sharp, save the bracket if it comes off and call us at (813) 427-2237. We'll get you in for a quick repair.
Our Tampa office is closed Wednesdays. If it's urgent that day, call and we'll see you at another office. See what to do if a bracket breaks. Every break can add time to treatment, which our post on how long braces take explains.
What can you eat with Invisalign?
With Invisalign, you take the aligners out to eat, so there's no food list. Brush your teeth before you put them back in so food isn't trapped against your teeth. Drink only water while they're in. Learn more about Invisalign.
Printable braces food guide
Print this and stick it on the fridge.
Eat: pasta, scrambled eggs, yogurt, soup, mashed potatoes, smoothies, bananas, oatmeal, soft fish, rice, cooked vegetables, cheese, soft fruit, sandwiches on soft bread.
Eat with a tweak: apples and carrots in thin slices; corn cut off the cob; pizza without the hard crust edge; soft-shell tacos; meat cut small with a fork and knife; Cuban bread and subs soft, not toasted; stone crab meat picked out, never cracked with teeth.
Avoid: ice, hard candy, nuts, hard pretzels, popcorn, caramel, taffy, gummies, gum, bagels and tough bread, beef jerky, whole apples, raw carrots, corn on the cob, chips, hard taco shells.
If something breaks: wax on anything sharp, save the bracket, call (813) 427-2237.
Our offices: Tampa, Mon, Tue, Thu 8am to 7pm and Fri 8am to 2pm (closed Wednesdays). Brandon, Wednesday 8am to 4pm. Apollo Beach, Tuesday 8am to 4pm.
Frequently asked questions
What can you eat with braces?
Soft, easy-to-bite foods such as pasta, eggs, yogurt, soup, rice, cooked vegetables, soft fruit and cheese are all good with braces. Cut hard fruits and vegetables into thin slices, and avoid hard, sticky and chewy foods. Choose soft breads, cut things up and use a fork and knife as much as possible. Chew with your back teeth instead of biting into food with your front teeth.
What foods should you avoid with braces?
Avoid hard foods (ice, hard candy, nuts), sticky foods (caramel, taffy, gummies), chewy foods (tough bagels, jerky) and crunchy foods you bite into (whole apples, popcorn, corn on the cob, chips). They break brackets and bend wires, and every break means an extra visit. In Tampa, that includes toasted Cuban bread, toasted subs and cracking stone crabs with your teeth.
What can I eat the first week with braces?
Stick to soft foods: pasta, scrambled eggs, yogurt, soup, mashed potatoes, smoothies, bananas and oatmeal. Cool or room-temperature foods feel best when your teeth are tender. Younger patients usually feel better in a day or two, and teens and adults can take up to two weeks. Plan a few easy meals before your braces go on so you aren't scrambling that night. Read more about the sore first week.
Can you eat popcorn with braces?
It's best to skip popcorn while you have braces. The kernels and hulls get stuck under wires and around brackets, and they can break brackets. Choose a soft snack instead, like yogurt, pudding, string cheese or soft fruit. Popcorn is one of the most common snacks to cause trouble. If you do have it, check for stuck hulls in the mirror and floss carefully afterward.
Can you chew gum with braces?
It's safest to skip gum, because it sticks to brackets and wires and can pull on them. Sugar-free gum is a gray area: it's less of a problem than regular gum, but it can still get stuck. If you'd like to chew it, ask us at your next adjustment visit and we'll tell you what makes sense for your braces. Until then, skipping it is the safe choice.
Can you eat pizza with braces?
Yes, with care. Choose soft slices, cut off the hard crust edge and cut the pizza into small pieces with a fork and knife instead of biting into the slice. Avoid crunchy or sticky toppings that can get caught in your braces.
What drinks are bad for braces?
Sugary and acidic drinks, like soda, sports drinks and energy drinks, are the concern, because sugar sits around the brackets where it's hard to clean. Water is best, and it's easy to keep with you in the Tampa heat. If you have a sugary drink, have it with a meal, then rinse with water and brush when you can.
What should I do if a bracket breaks while eating?
Don't panic. Put orthodontic wax over any wire that's poking, keep the bracket if it comes off and call us at (813) 427-2237 to book a quick repair. Our Tampa office is closed Wednesdays; if it's urgent that day, call and we'll see you at another office. More on what to do if a bracket breaks.
Do I have to avoid these foods for the whole treatment?
Yes, avoid the hard, sticky and chewy foods for as long as your braces are on, which is typically 12 to 24 months for most Miller Orthodontics patients. The soft-food-only part is much shorter: once the first week's soreness passes, you can go back to most everyday foods, cut small. Following the list is one of the simplest ways to avoid broken brackets, extra visits and added time in braces.
What do I eat with Invisalign?
Take your aligners out to eat or drink anything except water, and you can eat what you like, toasted Cuban bread included. Brush your teeth before you put the aligners back in so food isn't trapped against your teeth. There's no food list, but aligners only work if they're worn 20 to 22 hours a day, so keep meals and snacks efficient.
Questions about braces? Start with a free consultation
Whether you're thinking about braces for yourself or your child, we'll answer every question, food included. You'll leave with a treatment plan and your exact cost in writing. Book your free consultation or call (813) 427-2237. Learn more about braces, braces for kids and braces for teens, browse our FAQ, or meet Millie and Nash, our therapy dogs.
Free consultation, no referral needed, $300 down.
Miller Orthodontics · Tampa, Brandon and Apollo Beach · (813) 427-2237 · info@northtampabraces.com