Celebrating Thanksgiving with Braces

In order to avoid damaging your braces, it’s important to avoid eating certain hard and chewy items. Fortunately, many traditional Thanksgiving dishes are actually safe to eat!

The Main Dish

Whether you and your loved ones celebrate Thanksgiving with a roasted turkey or ham as the main course, they are both safe for your braces! We recommend cutting the meat into smaller, more manageable pieces in order to avoid any damage. If you like adding dressings or cranberry sauce, make sure to avoid eating anything with nuts or crunchy ingredients.

Traditional Side Dishes

Macaroni and cheese, green bean casserole, stuffing, yams, rolls, and mashed potatoes are all soft and approved sides. It’s also important to eat your vegetables! Broccoli, carrots, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and other savory vegetables are in the clear as long as they are fully cooked or steamed. If corn is a part of your meal, please make sure not to eat if off the cob.

Any Room for Dessert?

Pie, cheesecake, cake, cookies – it’s the holidays and you should treat yourself! However, do try to avoid consuming whole fruits like apples (cut them in wedges first), nuts, caramel, popcorn, and hard candies. In addition, always remember to brush your teeth thoroughly afterwards, cleaning the crevices and edges of your teeth!

We at Advance Orthodontics would like to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!