Thanksgiving With Braces

Thanksgiving With Braces
Posted on 11/05/2018

Thanksgiving With Braces

Screen Shot 2018-11-21 at 6.09.53 PMIf you’re anything like our food-loving team here at Hudson Orthodontics, then Thanksgiving is most likely one of your favorite holidays of the year. From delicious turkey stuffing to mounds of mashed potatoes and gravy, Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to get together and celebrate with a bounty of savory and sweet treats. For all you braces wearers out there, you’re in luck! Fortunately, the majority of traditional Thanksgiving foods are perfectly fine to eat, even if you’re new to wearing braces and your mouth is still slightly sore.

Dr. James D. Hudson, your local Muscle Shoals orthodontist, wants to ensure that all of his orthodontic patients have a wonderful time celebrating the food-filled holiday, which is why we’ve created this comprehensive guide to the few Thanksgiving foods you should avoid, as well as the foods you can scarf down risk-free.

Thanksgiving Appetizers

Long before the turkey is done cooking, our dining room tables often begin to fill up with plates full of delectable appetizers and tasty snacks. This is an important time to pay attention to the foods you choose, as a few of these pre-turkey dinner treats can cause harm to your braces and your teeth. Some of the foods braces wearers should avoid include:

  • Raw, crunchy veggies
  • Potato chips
  • Popcorn
  • Mixed nuts

A few Thanksgiving apps that braces wearers can indulge in include:

  • Cheese cubes or slices
  • Salami or pepperoni slices
  • Dips with soft bread or flaky crackers
  • Meatballs

The Main Event: Thanksgiving Dinner

After devouring your orthodontist-approved snacks, the main event finally comes: the traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner. Fortunately, this part of your Thanksgiving festivities is the safest for braces wearers out there, as the majority of the foods are soft and easily chewable.

Thanksgiving dinner foods that patients with braces can safely enjoy include:

  • Leafy green salads without nuts, raw carrots, or crunchy croutons
  • Bone-free slices of turkey or ham
  • Turkey stuffing
  • Sweet potato casserole
  • Mashed potatoes with gravy
  • Soft dinner rolls

Thanksgiving dinner foods you should avoid include:

  • Turkey legs or other bone-in meats
  • Sticky foods such as sweet potato casserole covered with syrup and marshmallows

Thanksgiving Dessert

By now, you’ve gotten so full from all the tasty carbohydrates and turkey slices that you might not have room for dessert. For all of you braces-wearing Thanksgiving soldiers out there ready to push on, rejoice! Most Thanksgiving desserts are soft and easily chewable, allowing you to have your cake and eat it, too.

Some great Thanksgiving desserts perfect for braces wearers include:

  • Pumpkin pie
  • Apple pie
  • Cheesecake
  • Lemon curd pie
  • Muffins
  • Soft cookies

A few Thanksgiving desserts to avoid include:

  • Caramel apples
  • Pecan pie
  • Crunchy cookies with nuts

Proper Thanksgiving Oral Hygiene

We’re sure that after your Thanksgiving feast you’ll be inclined to take a nap, but don’t head to the couch just yet! If you’re wearing braces, it’s critically important to brush and floss your teeth and brackets after your all-day feast. Proper oral hygiene is an integral element to ensuring your braces are doing their job! Brush and floss all those sugars and starches away as soon as possible, and make sure there aren’t any food particles stuck on or in between your teeth or brackets.

Contact Your Expert Orthodontist In Muscle Shoals, AL Today!

Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays of the year, and thankfully, the majority of the foods you get to share with your family and friends are perfectly safe for people with braces to eat! With only a few Thanksgiving foods to avoid, Hudson Orthodontics is positive that you’ll have a wonderful turkey day this November.

For more information on what foods braces wearers should avoid this Thanksgiving, feel free to give us a call today. Additionally, don’t forget to schedule your post-Thanksgiving dental examination with us, too!