5 Tips for a Smile-Friendly Holiday Season
The holidays are right around the corner and we can’t believe we’re wrapping up another year. It’s time for big family dinners and a little indulgence in our favorite holiday treats — but if you have braces this holiday season, you might be wondering what’s safe to eat and what foods you should avoid. As orthodontists in Denver, Granby and Winter Park, we’re here to help you navigate eating with braces during the holidays. And the good news is that, with a few simple rules in mind, you’ll be able to enjoy all your festive favorites! In this post, the Foundations Orthodontics team will share:
What you can and can’t eat with braces
Holiday foods to avoid with braces
Foods you can eat with braces during the holidays
Tips for a braces-safe holiday season
Eating with Braces: Dos and Don’ts
Before we discuss holiday-specific foods, let’s do a crash course on what you can and cannot eat with braces. It’s simple: stay away from any hard, crunchy, sticky or chewy foods, as well as any foods you have to bite into. These types of foods put your appliance at risk and may make you more susceptible to developing cavities. That’s because hard and crunchy foods, like popcorn or nuts, can break your brackets right off your teeth. Same goes for foods you bite into, like whole apples and carrots, or corn on the cob.
As for sticky and chewy foods, they can get caught in your brackets and wires, or between your teeth, making it extremely hard to brush, floss and clean your teeth effectively. Food particles, especially sugar, love to hide in hard to reach places, and brushing and flossing is already more difficult when you have braces. So steer clear of the above things and you’ll cruise on through braces treatment with ease.
To make it super easy, here’s a quick cheat sheet of what foods to avoid with braces. Just remember, this list is not exhaustive. Keep the rules in mind and use your best judgment.
Hard foods: popcorn, nuts, hard candies, hard rolls or breads like pizza crusts
Crunchy foods: chips, hard taco shells
Sticky foods: taffy, caramel, gummy candies
Chewy foods: licorice, bagels, beef jerky
Foods you bite into: whole apples, whole carrots, corn on the cob
Holiday Foods to Avoid with Braces
As we said, you’ll need to apply the above rules to everything you eat during your time with braces. So, over the holidays, that means skipping hard items like candy canes, crunchy gingerbread cookies, sticky caramel or candy apples, and more. Here’s a list of foods to avoid this holiday season:
Candy canes
Hard or crunchy gingerbread cookies
Caramel apples
Candy apples
Popcorn
Nuts (including any treats that contain nuts, like pies, cookies or butter tarts)
Peanut brittle
Toffee
Hard, chewy dinner rolls
Meat on the bone (if you cut it off the bone, it will be safe)
Raw vegetables
Braces-Friendly Holiday Foods
Now that we’ve got the things to avoid out of the way, let’s look at all the delicious holiday foods that are safe for braces. Think mashed potatoes and gravy, tender cooked meats and so much more. Here’s a reference list to make it easy to identify which holiday foods are fair game:
Turkey (always off the bone)
Ham
Brisket
Fish
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Baked potatoes
Sweet potatoes or yams
Roasted or steamed brussel sprouts
Roasted or steamed veggies
Cooked carrots
Soft cheeses
Mac and cheese
Stuffing
Casseroles
Latkes
Quiche
Perogies
Cranberry sauce
Soft cookies
Brownies or cakes (as long as they do not contain nuts)
Pumpkin pie
Apple pie
Plain chocolate (preferably milk because dark chocolate tends to be harder)
Eggnog
Apple cider
Hot chocolate
Can you believe how many amazing holiday foods you can eat with braces? We told you that you’d be able to feast on all your favorites!
How to Have a Braces-Safe Holiday Season
So, you know what foods to avoid and which foods are safe for braces. But there are a few other ways to keep your teeth strong and healthy during the holidays. Here are our quick tips for a smile-friendly holiday:
Remember your rules for eating with braces: Save or print this blog post so you can have an easy reference for what you can and cannot eat with braces. Avoid hard, crunchy, sticky, chewy and bite-into foods and you’ll be good to go.
Floss every day: We all tend to indulge in some extra sweets and treats over the holidays, so it’s more important than ever to floss daily. Use an orthodontic flosser or a floss threader to help you reach into all the nooks and crannies between your teeth and appliance.
Brush your teeth after every meal, snack or beverage: This braces rule applies at all times of the year, not just the holidays. To keep your teeth clean and healthy, brush after every time you eat or have a drink other than water.
Take a braces to-go kit with you: Maybe you’ll be visiting family over the holidays or maybe you’ve got a bunch of holiday parties lined up. Build yourself a little on-the-go braces kit so that you always have everything you need on hand. Include a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss and some orthodontic wax.
Have fun: Most importantly, we want you to have a fun and festive holiday with all your loved ones. Braces don't have to get in the way of that! Eat, drink and be merry — just make sure you brush and floss after!
If you’re due for an appointment with your Denver, Granby or Winter Park orthodontist, or you’re interested in starting the new year with a straighter smile, give Foundations Orthodontics a call. And from our family to yours, happy holidays.