If you’ve recently put on braces and are wondering if you can eat some dried fruit, then this article is for you.
Can you eat dried fruit with braces?
No, we don’t recommend eating dried fruit with braces for two reasons.
First, dried fruits tend to be very sticky, and to break them down into small chunks, you will need to chew on them a lot. This can damage the alignment of your braces, especially if you are wearing metal ones.
Secondly, if you eat dried fruit with braces, you will have to clean your braces meticulously. Otherwise, you may end up with bad breath, which comes with its own set of social problems, like people may avoid being around you.
If you have already eaten some dried fruit, here’s what you need to do next,
Step 1: Gargle your mouth with water – preferably warm, this should soften the dry fruit lodged between your teeth and braces.
Step 2: Use soft picks to clean around your braces and pay attention closer to the rubber bands and the brace brackets.
Step 3: Brush your teeth as you usually do.
Step 4: Use a mouthwash to get rid of any lingering smell.
And now, you are good to go!
Here are a few tips to keep your braces clean
Brush often – After enjoying a meal, we suggest brushing your teeth to dislodge any leftover food particles.
Soft toothbrush – Cleaning your gums, braces, and brackets is very important to your overall oral hygiene. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles because you will be brushing your teeth and braces more frequently.
Mild toothpaste – Since you will be brushing your teeth more frequently, we suggest using mild toothpaste to avoid irritating your gums. Avoid any toothpaste with a strong smell.
Floss – Use a floss threader at least twice a day to keep your braces and mouth clean.
Use a mouthwash – Use a gentle mouthwash to remove any lingering smells.
Brush your tongue – Don’t forget to brush your tongue as well, because it can hold on to millions of odor-causing bacteria. Brush longer – Generally, people tend to brush for 2 minutes every time, we suggest adding an extra minute and brushing at an angle to dislodge any food around your braces.
