Straightening your teeth is a worthwhile decision that can have lasting positive effects on your overall quality of life, but it can also mean temporarily changing your diet. If you’d like some professional dietary advice for when you are using braces, call Orthodontic Alliances at 219-809-6584 to book a consultation with us today.

So you can spend less time driving to the dentist, we have three offices in northern Indiana. We also treat both adults and children so you won’t have to drive from one dentist to the next to get your family the orthodontic care that you need to improve the health and beauty of your smiles.

Our dentists, Dr. Schmidt and Dr. Schmidt, have decades of experience in the dental field between them, so you can rest assured we’ll take great care of your smile.

We know that your schedule is very busy already and that you want to get the procedures you need in the shortest amount of time with the fewest dental visits possible. When you visit us, we’ll start your treatment on that same day instead of only conducting a consultation on the initial visit as many other dentists do.

To make paying for the treatments you and your loved ones need a little simpler for you, we accept a variety of payment options and also allow you to:

  • Pay the remaining balance of your treatment over a year and a half interest-free when you make a down payment of at least 25 percent on your first appointment
  • Receive a seven percent discount on your overall treatment if you pay for it in full on your first visit

Improve Your Braces Experience With These Dietary Guidelines

If you know someone who has used traditional braces before, you may have heard that there are a lot of dietary restrictions while using them. While you do need to be careful about what you eat while straightening your teeth with certain types of orthodontics, that doesn’t mean that you can still enjoy your meals and eat lots of yummy foods.

Let’s start by rattling off some of the foods that you can still eat without any problems while using metal brackets and wires to straighten your teeth. That will help you understand that you can still have an enjoyable and healthy diet in the process. Here are some of the foods that are fine to consume while getting your teeth straightened with traditional braces:

  • Yogurt and pudding
  • Hull-less popcorn
  • Fruits without pits, like bananas, oranges, oranges, strawberries, and grapes
  • Cheeses of various types, especially soft cheeses
  • Light crackers or cookies
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
  • Various forms of pasta and noodles, including ravioli, macaroni and cheese, and ravioli
  • Jerky

There are also some foods that you can still eat while straightening your teeth with traditional orthodontics but that you should probably cut into smaller pieces to make chewing them easier and reduce the chances of chunks and food particles getting stuck in your teeth and braces. Here are just a few that you should cut into small pieces before eating:

  • Crusty French/Italian bread
  • Raw vegetables
  • Sub sandwiches
  • Croutons
  • Raw fruit
  • Hard rolls
  • Thin crust pizza
  • Meat
  • Burgers

As mentioned above, unfortunately, there are some foods you should avoid entirely when getting your teeth straightened with metal braces. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to eat them again with no problems again soon when you complete your orthodontic treatment! Here are some foods you should NOT eat or chew while straightening your teeth with traditional methods:

  • Popcorn
  • Nuts
  • Sticky and hard candy
  • Hard taco shells
  • Gum
  • Hard cookies or crackers
  • Corn chips
  • Pretzels
  • Sticky or hard chocolate

You should also avoid chewing on hard foods with your front teeth while straightening teeth with metal braces.

If you decide that you’d like some other options for straightening your teeth, we can discuss all of the orthodontic services that we offer with you. We’ll assess your current case thoroughly before making recommendations. We look forward to improving your smile!

Learn what foods you can enjoy and which ones you should avoid when straightening your teeth with braces by calling Orthodontic Alliances at 219-809-6584 and setting up a consultation with us. You can also swing by one of our northern Indiana dentist offices in person during normal business hours or fill out our handy online form to schedule or ask questions.