The months between Halloween and New Year’s Eve are filled with pecan pie, candy canes, peppermint bark, and other seasonal staples that truly make it the most wonderful time of year for your tastebuds. Unfortunately, many of these treats can wreak havoc on your braces if you aren’t careful. And the last thing you want is to spend your holiday with a broken bracket, protruding wire, or some other orthodontic emergency. So, when filling your plate, keep these tips for eating holiday meals with braces in mind!
#1. Fill Your Plate with Soft Foods
Caramel-filled treats, gooey brownies, and festive peppermint bark are just a few seasonal staples that can place extreme pressure on your brackets and wires. That’s why it’s best to stick to mostly soft foods this holiday season. A few delicious and braces-friendly staples include twice-cooked carrots, garlic mashed potatoes, maple sweet potatoes, smooth cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie!
#2. Cut Your Food into Smaller Pieces
If you want to dive into more solid foods, like juicy turkey or ham, that’s completely okay! Just make sure to cut it up into smaller pieces beforehand. This will reduce the amount of chewing power needed to break down your food.
#3. Be Mindful as You Chew
While catching up with loved ones, it can be tempting to go on autopilot as you chew. However, it’s of the utmost importance to be intentional while you eat. This will help reduce the risk of you accidentally breaking a bracket or sustaining a soft tissue injury.
#4. Abide By Your Dietary Restrictions
On a daily basis, following your dietary restrictions likely isn’t too much of a hassle. During the holidays, that task becomes much harder. After all, who doesn’t enjoy pecan pie, corn on the cob, and crunchy dinner rolls? With that being said, hard and sticky foods like these are a recipe for an orthodontic emergency, which is not how you want to spend your time off.
#5. Keep Your Dental Care Tools Close
Whether you’re traveling out of town or staying home this holiday season, make sure you always have your oral hygiene tools close by. Even a travel-sized toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss can go a long way in keeping your braces free of food particles, plaque, and bacteria from all of the delicious meals and snacks.
Part of the holiday spirit is all of the delicious foods. Luckily, you don’t have to miss out because of your braces. To ensure your smile is healthy and you stay on track with your treatment plan, keep the above tips in mind when dining this holiday season!
About the Practice
At Drabik Orthodontics, we don’t just have a hand-selected team of exceptional smile enthusiasts; we also offer affordable treatments, a welcoming environment, and a comprehensive array of services at our two conveniently located offices. So, if you or a loved one are interested in getting braces, are struggling with an orthodontic emergency, or something in between, don’t hesitate to get in touch! We’re here to help via our website or by phone at our Webster and Rochester practices.