Verified by Patricia Shelton MD
Patricia Shelton holds a Doctor of Medicine degree and a Bachelors degree in neuroscience, both from the University of Washington.
Can I eat sushi with braces? Is it going to be harmful to my braces? How can I clean my teeth and braces after I eat sushi? These questions might cross your mind when you have braces on your teeth and love sushi at the same time.
Sushi is a Japanese food people usually eat with some sugar or salt, as well as a diversity of ingredients such as seafood and vegetables. In this article, we will see if we can eat sushi with braces comfortably. Then, we will discuss the correct way to brush our teeth after eating sushi.
Can I Eat Sushi With Braces?
Yes, you can eat sushi with braces. Sushi is soft and comes in small bite sizes. That is why it is already appropriate for your teeth and braces and does not harm them.
In addition, you can use a fork and knife to cut the sushi into smaller pieces, making it entirely harmless to eat with braces. As long as you brush your teeth twice a day and take care of your braces, eating sushi with braces is not an issue.
During the first days of getting braces on your teeth, you may feel like your teeth are sensitive and sore. To overcome this issue, you should eat soft foods, including sushi. However, it would help if you were careful when chewing sushi and avoided eating anything sticky or hard while having braces on your teeth.
How to Clean Your Teeth With Braces
To minimize the damage to your braces after you eat sushi, you should brush your teeth regularly. To do so, you should purchase a brush with soft bristles and gently brush your teeth carefully.
Try to do this procedure every time you eat sushi or anything else. If you do not have toothpaste with you, at least you can use some water or mouthwash to clean your mouth.
Also, remember that coconut oil and baking soda mixed with water can be perfect alternatives to toothpaste in an emergency.
Although brushing for two minutes is most of the time enough to cleanse your teeth, try to lengthen your brushing to at least three minutes to completely remove the particles of sushi from your braces.
Also, never forget that flossing your teeth is maybe even more important than brushing them.
To maximize the efficiency, you can brush your tongue as well as the top of your mouth too. Also, try your best to attend all the appointments with your dentist and orthodontist.
Conclusion
Sushi is one of the foods that you can freely eat with braces comfortably. It is soft and comes in small, bite-sized pieces, making it easy to chew. You can even use a fork and knife to slice sushi into smaller pieces to make it even more comfortable to eat while having braces on your teeth.
To minimize the bad effects of eating sushi with braces, you should brush your teeth and braces correctly. Use a soft brush regularly, and never forget to floss and use a mouthwash. Brush your braces as well as your tongue for at least three minutes, and never miss your appointments with your dentist.
