As you may already know, braces, new retainers or other appliances are liable to cause tender teeth for a day or two. The movement caused by a new arch wire, a bend in the retainer or a headgear can make certain teeth sore. Some thoughtful food preparation can help. If the discomfort lasts more than three or four days, call the office as something may not be working correctly. Putting foods in a blender or cutting them up into smaller portions are good ways to make this time easier. Here are some suggestions to maintain comfort and nutrition.
Proteins
- Add an egg in the blender when making a milkshake. Some restaurants will do this for you, too.
- Scrambled hamburger Cook hamburger slowly over medium heat, stirring often to break it up into tiny pieces. Do not let the meat get too crispy.
- Cheese soufflé. Try one! Even it falls it still tastes great.
Fruit
Fruit juices, one of the great joys of the orthodontic patient! How about a section in the freezer just for the one with the glistening smile? A variety of the little frozen juice cans: tangerine, nectar apple, grape, pineapple or grapefruit, will add interest and provide pleasure. Fresh fruits, so essential to good digestive habits, are great in the blender. Try this:
- Fresh, uncooked applesauce. Peel apples cut into chunks, put in a blender with a little sugar and a dash of cinnamon.
- Fresh pineapple, or watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, apricots, oranges-a mixture to create a South Pacific delight!
- Frequently it’s uncomfortable to bite or chew something very cold, with all that metal around the teeth. So take a cantaloupe or grapefruit out of the refrigerator the night before, in order to have it at room temperature when it touches sensitive teeth at breakfast. A gentle microwave will take the chill off, too.
Vegetables
Sometimes cooked vegetables are easily eaten, but you may want to mash them up further with a fork. Try cooking carrots in the microwave for quick preparation of a healthy vegetable. Salads are a real problem. Forget that idea about tearing up lettuce by hand, and go ahead and chop it up finely with a knife. Tomatoes, creamed spinach, cooked squash and cauliflower are a little easier to eat than some other vegetables. When all else fails, remember the mashed potatoes and your” a la king” recipes that go with them. Creamed tuna on mashed potatoes for dinner on the day after the orthodontic appointment has saved many a high school athlete from imminent starvation.
Milk
The greatest, softest food ever invented. Milk: drink it plain, or flavored, in hot chocolate, or milkshakes. Do not forget cottage cheese, yogurt, custard, or ice cream.
Lunches
We all know that whole wheat bread, bursting with those crunchy little kernels of grain, are so nutritious. But just for a couple days when eating hurts, break down and get some nice soft bread. Deviled egg, deviled ham, tuna chopped olive and – spreads will probably not cause too much discomfort Avoid bologna, lettuce, hard cheese, salami, roast beef, or anything which really has to be chewed thoroughly
Hot soup can be a lifesaver, and why not include a bread and butter sandwich that can be dunked in the soup? Backpacks can easily hold a thermos.
Canned snack containers with gelatin, puddings, or soft canned fruit are a great invention. And applesauce (homemade is easy) has sustained many an orthodontic patient.