First Week with Braces: What Can I Eat?
The first week with braces is the hardest part for most people, and a lot of that comes down to what you can comfortably eat. Your teeth will be tender, your mouth is adjusting, and the last thing you want is to bite into something that hurts or damages a bracket on day two.
The good news is that it does get easier, usually within five to seven days. In the meantime, here’s exactly what to eat, what to avoid, and how to get through lunch at school or work without it being a whole thing.
In Summary:
After the first week, most foods are back on the table, with a few permanent exceptions.Invisalign revolutionised modern orthodontics with a near-invisible series of aligners that gradually adjust teeth. But with innovation comes investment, and Australians often wonder: How much is Invisalign?
Stick to soft, easy-to-chew foods for the first week, especially the first few days.
Avoid anything hard, sticky, crunchy, or chewy until the soreness settles.
Cold foods like yoghurt and smoothies can help with discomfort.
What Can You Eat in the First Week with Braces?
The key is soft. You’re not on a liquid diet, but anything that requires serious chewing is going to be uncomfortable and risks damaging your new brackets.
Breakfast
- Yoghurt
- Smoothies
- Scrambled or soft-boiled eggs
- Porridge or soft cereals with milk
- Banana or soft fruit
Lunch
- Soup
- Soft sandwiches with the crusts cut off
- Mashed avocado on soft bread
- Pasta with a simple sauce
- Soft cheese
Dinner
- Mashed potato
- Pasta or rice
- Soft-cooked fish or chicken
- Steamed vegetables
- Soup
Snacks
- Yoghurt
- Soft fruit like banana, melon, or tinned peaches
- Cheese
- Soft crackers
- Ice cream or gelato (yes, this is a legitimate medical recommendation for the first week!)
Cold foods in particular can help with soreness. An ice cream or cold smoothie in the first couple of days isn’t just comfortable, it also helps settle things down.
What Should You Avoid in the First Week?
Some foods are off the menu for the entire time you have braces. Others are just particularly bad in the first week when everything is tender and the brackets are brand new.
Avoid completely (whole treatment):
- Hard lollies and chewing gum
- Sticky foods like toffee, muesli bars, or chewy lollies
- Hard, crunchy foods like popcorn, nuts, and hard crackers
- Biting directly into hard fruit like apples or pears (slice them instead)
- Chewing on ice
These are particularly bad the first week:
- Crusty bread or rolls
- Raw vegetables
- Tough meat
- Anything that needs a lot of force to bite through
Hard and sticky foods can bend wires, pop metal or ceramic brackets off teeth, and set your treatment back. It’s not just about comfort either, because a broken bracket means an extra appointment and potentially more time in braces.
What to Eat with Braces at School
School lunch is one of the most practical concerns for teenagers in their first week. Canteen food isn’t always soft-food-friendly, and you don’t want to be stuck with nothing you can eat.
Here are a few easy options to pack:
- A soft wrap or sandwich (avoid anything crusty)
- Pasta or rice salad
- Yoghurt
- Soft fruit
- A smoothie or flavoured milk
- Cheese and soft crackers
- Hummus with soft pita
Avoid anything from the canteen that’s hard, crunchy, or chewy until the first week is behind you. After that, most things are fine as long as you steer clear of the hard and sticky items permanently.
How Long Until Eating Feels Normal Again?
For most people, the soreness peaks around day two or three and settles by the end of the first week. By week two, eating is mostly back to normal, though you’ll need to be mindful of hard and sticky foods for the whole time you’re in braces.
Each time your braces are adjusted, you might have a day or two of tenderness, but it’s usually much milder than the first week.
Need a Hand Getting Through the First Week?
If something feels wrong, a bracket comes loose, or you’re not sure whether something is normal, get in touch with our team at Orthodontics at Parramatta.
FAQs
Yoghurt, scrambled eggs, pasta, mashed potato, soup, soft fruit, and smoothies are all good options. Cold foods like yoghurt and ice cream can also help with soreness in the first few days.
Hard lollies, chewing gum, popcorn, nuts, sticky foods like toffee and muesli bars, and anything you need to bite hard into. These can damage brackets and wires and potentially extend treatment time.
Soreness after getting braces lasts about three to five days. Most people find it peaks around day two or three and settles significantly by the end of the first week.
Yes, noticeably. By week two, most people are eating normally again, with the exception of hard and sticky foods, which stay off the menu for the whole treatment.
