
Getting started with braces is an important step towards a perfect smile, but the first week can be challenging. Your teeth may be sore, and eating specific foods can be uncomfortable, or even risky for your braces. Knowing what to eat with braces in the first week is crucial to minimizing pain, avoiding potential damage, and keeping your nutrition on track.
This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about foods for new braces, braces-friendly meals, foods to avoid with braces, and eating tips after getting braces. Furthermore, we provide a first week with a braces diet plan to make your transition as smooth as possible.
Why Your Diet Matters in the First Week with Braces
The Adjustment Period: What to Expect
Your teeth and gums require some time to adjust to the pressure of braces. The first few days could include:
- Tenderness or soreness during biting or chewing
- Sensitivity to hot or cold substances
- Irritation from brackets/wires
Choosing the right meals for ease with braces is important to minimize discomfort and prevent damage to the orthodontic work.
How Do Food Choices Affect Your Braces?
The wrong foods may:
- Loosen or break brackets.
- Bend wires, thereby causing emergency orthodontic visits.
- Place pressure on sensitive teeth, causing pain.
If you stick with a first-week diet for braces, your adjustment period will be better and smoother.
Best Foods to Eat with Braces in the First Week
1. Soft Dairy Products for Calcium and Comfort

The consumption of calcium-rich dairy benefits the teeth and bones. Among the best recommendations are as follows:
- Yogurt (plain or flavored, devoid of crunchy embellishments)
- Soft cheeses such as cottage cheese, ricotta, or melted mozzarella
- Pudding or custard (smooth and easy to swallow)
- Smoothies with milk containing soft fruits for extra nutrition
Why It Works: These foods require little or no chewing and won’t irritate sensitive gums.
2. Tender Proteins for Healing and Strength
Protein helps repair tissues, especially when your mouth is adjusting. Great choices are:
- Scrambled eggs (mildly digestible with soft texture)
- Flaky fish (for example, salmon and/or tilapia, cooked until tender )
- Shredded chicken or turkey (Slow-cooked for maximum softness)
- Tofu or cooked beans (for plant-based protein)
Pro Tip: Avoid tough meats like beef or jerky, which can dislodge the brackets.
3. Cooked Vegetable for Easy Digestion
Raw veggies can be too hard, but cooked ones are braces-safe:
- Mashed potatoes, with additional butter or gravy for smoothness.
- Steamed carrot, zucchini, or squash pieces.
- Pureed soups (butternut squash, tomato, or creamy broccoli soups).
Why it’s Important: Softened vegetables do not put extra force on the teeth.
4. Soft Fruits for Natural Sweetness
Some fruits are too hard, but the following are just right:
- Bananas (naturally soft and easy to eat)
- Applesauce (chewing is not needed)
- Ripe peaches or pears (peeled and cut into tiny pieces)
- Smoothies (mix berries, yogurt, and milk for a wholesome drink)
Avoid: Whole apples, hard pears, or any seed-bearing fruit that may get stuck between teeth.
5. Grains & Pasta for Gentle Carbs
Soft foods will give you energy without straining your braces:
- Oatmeal or cream of wheat (hot and comforting)
- Soft bread or tortillas without hard crusts
- Well-cooked pasta or noodles with a smooth sauce
- Quinoa or couscous (softer than rice and easy to consume)
Fact: Whole Grains add fiber for smooth digestion.
6. Soups & Broth for Hydration and Nutrition
Warm liquids can be comforting when your mouth is sore:
- Chicken noodle soup (soft noodles)
- Tomato soup (smooth texture and easy to swallow)
- Bone broth (full of nutrients to help heal)
Note: Allow hot soups to cool slightly before consuming to avoid burning sensitive gums.
Foods to Avoid with Braces in the First Week
1. Hard Foods That Can Damage Braces
- Nuts and seeds can break brackets
- Crunchy snacks: Popcorn (kernels can get lodged and might twist and distort wires)
- Hard candies or ice (risk bracket fracturing)
2. Sticky or Chewy Foods That Cause Problems
- Caramels or taffy (may stick on wires and brackets)
- Chewing gum (may stay on brackets or wires)
- Gummy bears or licorice (hard to clean up)
3. Crunchy Snacks That Are Too Rough
- Chips or pretzels (can snap wires)
- Carrots or apples in the raw (unless diced into tiny pieces)
- Hard crackers or dry cookies
4. Sugary and Acidic Foods That Harm Teeth
- Soft drinks and energy boosters (erode enamel)
- Acidic fruits (can irritate sensitive gums)
- Sticky candies (increase the risk of cavities)
Essential Eating Tips after Getting Braces
1. Cut Food into Small, Bite-Sized Pieces
- Relieves pressure on teeth
- Prevents unnecessary chewing strain
2. Chew Slowly and Carefully
- Use your back teeth to avoid damaging brackets
- Avoid biting into hard food with your front teeth
3. Rinse Your Mouth after Eating
- Helps remove food particles stuck in braces
- Reduces the chances of plaque buildup
4. Use Orthodontic Wax for Irritation
- Attach to those brackets that rub against the cheeks
- Provide a smooth surface to prevent soreness
5. Stay Hydrated to Keep Your Mouth Clean
- Water washes out food debris
- Prevents dry mouth and bad breath
Sample Meal Plan for the First Week with Braces
Breakfast Suggestions
- Scrambled eggs with soft toast
- Yogurt drizzled with honey and mashed banana
- Cinnamon oatmeal with milk
Lunch Suggestions
- Soupy tomato cream with soft bread
- Mashed avocado on a tortilla
- Tuna salad without the crunchy elements
Dinner Suggestions
- Pasta in Alfredo sauce and steamed vegetables
- Softly-cooked fish with mashed potatoes
- Tofu stir-fry with nicely steamed rice
Snacks and Desserts
- Smoothies with peanut butter and banana
- Pudding or gelatin cups
- Soft cheese cubes and crackers (soak crackers in soup if hard)
Making the First Week with Braces Easier
The first week with braces can be uncomfortable, but following the right diet during this time makes a huge difference. Stick to braces-friendly meals like scrambled eggs, yogurt, smoothies, etc. Avoid risky foods like pretzels, raw vegetables, and nuts, and follow our eating tips after getting braces for a smoother transition.
Planning your meals will protect your braces, minimize discomfort, and provide nutrition. Soon enough, eating with braces will feel completely normal, and your future smile will be worth it!
Have any more questions? Speak to your orthodontist for tailored advice. Happy (and pain-free) eating!
FAQs
Soft, easy-to-chew foods like yogurt, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs, smoothies, oatmeal, steamed veggies, and tender meats like shredded chicken or fish. Nothing hard, sticky, or crunchy is permissible.
Most people take about 1-2 weeks to adjust; however, this period differs based on personal pain tolerance. Reintroduce firmer foods gradually, but avoid hard and sticky ones, which can damage braces.
Yes, but choose soft-crust pizza and cut it into small pieces. Avoid crispy thin crust or hard toppings like crunchy breadsticks.
Yes! Rice is braces-friendly, especially when well-cooked. Choose softer types of rice, such as jasmine or sticky rice, and avoid undercooked or crunchy rice dishes.
Citation:
American Association of Orthodontists. (n.d.). What can I eat with braces? A comprehensive guide. Retrieved April 23, 2025, from https://aaoinfo.org/blog/what-can-i-eat-with-braces/​American Association of Orthodontists
Weiler Orthodontics. (2023, August 10). A braces-friendly diet: What to eat in the first week. Retrieved from https://weilerorthodontics.com/a-braces-friendly-diet-what-to-eat-in-the-first-week/​Weiler Orthodontics
Blue Wave Orthodontics. (2023, January 17). What foods can you eat in the first week of braces? Retrieved from https://bluewaveortho.com/blog/foods-you-should-eat-the-first-week-wearing-braces/​Blue Wave Orthodontics
Sturbridge Orthodontics. (n.d.). Surviving the first week with braces. Retrieved April 23, 2025, from https://sturbridgebraces.com/surviving-the-first-week-with-braces/​Sturbridge Orthodontics
Eugene Braces. (2024, July 15). What to eat in the first week of braces: Soft and nutritious options. Retrieved from https://www.eugenebraces.com/eat-the-first-week-of-braces/​Chvatal Orthodontics+1Blue Wave Orthodontics+1
Frey Orthodontics. (n.d.). What to eat with braces in the first week? Retrieved April 23, 2025, from https://freyorthocenters.com/what-to-eat-with-braces-the-first-week/​Frey Orthodontics