First Time Braces? What to Eat With Braces in the First Week

When I had my braces, the orthodontist told me what to eat with braces the first week (the normal avoid hard foods disclaimer).

But no one prepared me for the pain I felt the next morning.

It kept increasing for the next 3-5 days, and I almost went back to the orthodontist to tell them to take my braces off.

Picture this: You’re hungry, but you can’t eat freely because of braces pain. While it’s not extremely painful, it can be quite uncomfortable.

In this article, we’ll delve into the first time with braces and discuss what foods to eat during the first week with braces, plus other frequently asked questions.

First time with braces? What to eat with braces the first week

Contrary to what I thought before I got braces for the first time, getting braces is entirely painless, and the infamous braces pain comes the day afterward and lasts 3 to 5 days during the first week.

During this time, you’ll often experience discomfort, and you may research what to eat with braces the first week.

Perhaps you’re preparing a meal plan as you prepare to visit your orthodontist for new braces.

Let’s delve into foods you may include in your diet during your first week.

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Soft foods that help you through the first week with braces

Soft foods are life savers during week one since you can easily chew them and get full quickly.

You also need to minimize discomfort and avoid issues such as breaking the brackets or wire, which require a refix.

Here’s an overview of what to eat during the first week with braces:

• Hearty and soft meals such as stews and soup
• Soft cheese and dairy products such as Greek yogurt and milk
• Soft, easy-to-chew fruits and boiled or steamed vegetables
• Soft carbs such as bread, mashed Irish and sweet potatoes, and cooked grains
• Tender cooked protein-rich meals such as fish, chicken, or beef

Tasty smoothies to enjoy in your first week with braces

When I had braces, I’d take high-calorie smoothies twice a day because they were easy to make, and they’d help compensate for the calorie deficit during the first week.

Smoothies helped me maintain my daily calorie intake despite the pain in my braces in week one.

Examples are banana-peanut butter-milk smoothies, frozen fruit smoothies, and silken tofu smoothies.

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What not to eat with braces the first week

Here’s a list of foods you may ditch during your first week with braces to minimize and manage first-time braces pain:

• Chewy bagels and chewy bread
• Hard nuts and hard candy
• Sticky candy
• Popcorn and corn on the cob
• Crunchy fruits and vegetables
• Crusty pizza
• Ice cream
• Crunchy snacks such as pretzels

Here’s an in-depth overview of what not to eat with braces in the first week.

Chewy foods

Hard bagels and chewy candies can stick onto your brackets and brace wires. They can also intensify the braces pain you may feel as they require frequent chewing.

This can loosen your wires, forcing you to plan another trip to the orthodontist for a refix. No one wants this.

Especially when you’re experiencing discomfort, avoiding chewy foods is the safe option.

While you may crave pizza, be cautious with the crusts as they may be chewy. But if you can forgo it at that time, then do so.

On day one, I had barbeque pizza, and I struggled with chewing. Had I known I’d have difficulty chewing, I’d have ordered something else.

Crunchy foods

Crunchy foods such as popcorn require more pressure to chew, which can heighten the pain in the first week of braces.

Avoiding them during the first week can save you from pain as your teeth shift to adjust to the braces’ pressure.

However, you may eat thin potato crisps and hot chips as they don’t need excessive chewing pressure.

Afterward, cleanse your mouth by swishing and rinsing to remove any leftovers.

Sticky foods

Sticky foods pose a cleaning challenge when you have braces. They can also increase pressure on teeth as you chew and heighten the pain and discomfort of the first week of braces.

Sticky foods such as bubble gum can increase the risk of tooth decay, as they stick to teeth surfaces and braces wires or brackets.

Consider healthier chewing gum alternatives, such as xylitol-sweetened chewing gum, which is sugar-free, to minimize tooth decay and plaque buildup.

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Hard foods

Hard nuts, such as roasted nuts and hardy candy varieties, can dislodge your brackets during the first week of wearing braces.

As you push to complete the dreadful braces pain week, loose brackets or wires are the last thing you may wish to have at that time.

Therefore, avoid hard food or chop them into tiny bits for easier chewing.

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Sugary drinks and foods

Consider ditching sugary foods during the first week with braces, such as tacky candy, cakes, and other sugary soft drinks.

If you’re a chocolate lover, consider dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate since it boasts lower sugar levels. However, for healthy dieting, opt for average consumption.

Sugary food particles tend to stick to teeth and braces, which can cause dental caries and plaque buildup.

Also, cleaning may be challenging since braces are comparable to additional intricate teeth layers. A toothbrush may not reach deeper areas for cleaning.

So, it’s best to ditch them on your braces journey.

Surviving first-week braces pain with a sweet tooth

If you have a sweet tooth, the first week with braces can be daunting, and you may find yourself breaking the rules.

But the braces pain may limit your intake and consumption, and you may even find yourself looking for ways to make chewing easier.

From using a knife to cut food into smaller bits to new ways of chewing, you’ll find yourself adopting eating techniques to adjust to your new braces, in addition to your orthodontist’s recommendations.

These do’s and don’ts are not rigid but a guide to help you easily manage your orthodontics journey.

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8 tips on surviving the first-week braces pain

Surviving the first week with braces may be dreadful if you’re getting braces for the first time. However, it gets better afterward.

You can easily adjust and manage pain in your first week with braces with the proper diet and tips.

Here are some tips to help you cope with braces pain or discomfort:

1. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate

Hydration can help wash away food particles sticking to your braces, wires, or brackets, maintaining oral cleanliness.

2. Cut foods into pieces

Cutting food into smaller sizes can help you chew easily and minimize direct biting with front teeth during the first week.

I developed this habit when I got my first braces, and even after taking them off a year later, I still cut my food into small pieces.

For example, cutting a slice of bread into eight pieces.

3. Opt for soft meals

Softer meals help reduce the pressure you exert to chew since they require minimal chewing.

For example, mashed Irish, sweet potatoes, and smoothies.

High-calorie smoothies can also help you maintain your daily calorie target despite the brace’s pain.

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4. Chew gently

Braces need care since they can be fragile. Hardy foods can break your brace brackets or wires.

However, you may find yourself chewing more gently than usual because you’ll feel discomfort or pain when you exert more chewing pressure.

5. Avoid extremely hot or cold foods

Extremely hot or cold foods can increase tooth sensitivity during the first week with braces.

I noticed this when I drank cold water during the first week of having braces. I’d feel sensitivity for a while, but it’d cease afterward.

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6. Avoid sticky foods or snacks

Sticky snacks or foods may stick to teeth, braces, brackets, and wires, making brushing and cleaning difficult.

Opt for sugar-free gum such as xylitol-sweetened chewing gum in place of others.

7. Rinse your mouth after meals

Mouth rinsing washes away leftover food particles that can result in plaque buildup and teeth or braces stains.

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8. Purchase a travel toothbrush

Braces can be prone to holding leftover food particles from vegetables to fruits. Having a travel toothbrush and toothpaste on the go helps maintain maximum hygiene and cleanliness after eating wherever you are.

Frequently asked questions on what to eat with braces the first week

Here are some FAQs and answers to what to eat with braces during the first week:

1. Can I eat bagels with second-day braces?

You can eat bagels with second-day braces if they’re soft and not hard or chewy.

Hard or chewy bagels can cause discomfort, as you’ll exert more chewing pressure, which can break your brackets or wire or cause heightened sensitivity.

2. Would my braces get red from eating red mackerel?

While foods rich in color pigments can stain teeth and braces, brushing your teeth immediately after meals or rinsing with water after eating can help wash away the pigment.

Also, on your next braces readjustment, you can choose darker band colors, such as emerald green and dark blue, instead of bright, easy-to-stain colors, such as colorless.

3. What foods are for braces pain during the first week?

To ease discomfort and slight pain during the first week, consider eating soups, stews, mashed potatoes, flaky meat, boiled or steamed veggies, and smoothies.

Also, you may take ice cream to relieve the pressure the wire exerts on your jaw.

However, avoid foods and snacks that have extreme temperatures if you have tooth sensitivity.

4. What snacks are safe for new braces wearers?

Soft fruits such as bananas, applesauce, soft cheese, yogurt, puddings, and custards are safe alternative snacks for new braces wearers during the first week.

Remember to brush or rinse your mouth afterward and wash off leftover particles.

5. Which types of foods to avoid with braces

During your first time with braces, avoid hard, chewy, crunchy, sticky, or sugary foods such as hard nuts, crusty bread or a chewy bagel, hard candy, popcorn, and pretzels.

Also, avoid bubble gum, as it can stick between brackets or wires.

Opt for sugar-free gum such as xylitol-sweetened chewing gum.

The Takeaway

Planning what to eat during the first week with braces doesn’t have to be daunting with appropriate diet options and alternatives.

After the toughest 3-5 days of discomfort due to braces pain, you’ll eventually love to see the progress of your teeth alignment week by week.

While it may seem like a slow journey, if you occasionally take pictures before your monthly adjustment, you’ll notice the progress and be grateful to look back once you complete treatment.

Braces are worth it, but they’re not an overnight genie in a bottle ‘make a wish’ transformation.

And that’s the beauty of the transformative braces journey- like watering a tree seedling for years and taking pictures to monitor growth milestones over time.

Cecile M.

Cecile M., is a communication strategist, avid reader, and storyteller with ghostwriting and direct response copywriting experience. Besides writing, she enjoys eclipse chasing, star gazing in remote places with less light pollution, sunset chasing, bird watching, poetry, old movies, animations, bookshops, karaoke sessions, and wildlife conservation.