How to Grocery Shop for Someone Who Just Had Their Braces Tightened
Remember that the pain caused by having braces tightened should only last around one week or less., Avoid buying chewy or hard foods., Avoid buying food that will get between braces., Buy melt-in-the-mouth foods., Buy very soft foods., Buy mashed...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Remember that the pain caused by having braces tightened should only last around one week or less.
It is possible, but unlikely, that the pain will last over one week.
Keep this in mind when you are shopping if you don't want to buy brace-friendly food in bulk.
The member of your family who has braces should be able to eat normal food one week after they have had their braces Keep in mind that after eating hard foods, the brace-wearing member of your family can suffer severe aching in the teeth after eating non brace-friendly foods in the week after they have had their braces tightened, or find it impossible altogether.
Completely avoid serving the member of your family with braces hard foods during this time.
If the brace-wearing person is suffering severe pain, depending on their age, give them a pain relief medicine such as Calpol or painkillers to relieve the pain. -
Step 2: Avoid buying chewy or hard foods.
The brace wearing person will find it impossible to eat chewy or hard foods during this time.
Particular foods to avoid are the list below.
The foods highlighted in bold are foods that are recommended that you eat none or very little of the whole period in which braces are worn.
This may seem like a long list but remember, the person who has braces should be able to eat almost all of these after one week.
Toffees Nuts Apples Hard breads (baguettes, hard buns, etc.) Chewy or hard sweets (excluding chocolate) Mints Biscuits Carrots and other hard vegetables Hard or chewy pastries (croissants etc.) Samosas, pappadums Chicken (if it is on the bone) and other chewy meats, such as steak and pork. , This is a problem for many brace wearers, because not only is it unsightly, food stuck between braces can cause pain.
The foods to avoid are:
Nuts Apples Couscous (and foods like it, excluding rice) Bread Carrots and other hard vegetables Chewy sweets , Brace wearers will find it easier to consume melt-in-the-mouth foods because it minimizes chewing.
These can be foods such as:
Chocolate Various puddings (such as melt in the middle pudding, or easy to break apart puddings like sponge.) Any other melt in the mouth foods. , Make sure that there are no hard bits in the food that you buy, even if it is soft, to minimize the possibility of chewing and getting hard bits stuck in the braces.
This can be:
Cheese Soft chips Beans and peas (and foods like it, including sweetcorn) Rice Pasta Mince Softened potatoes Sausages Brussels sprouts and other soft vegetables , You don't need to buy baby food for this step, so don't worry.
Just buy mashed or liquidized foods that are easy to eat.
Ideas to try are:
Mashed potato Mushy peas Rice pudding Ice cream Soup Jelly , Ask them for foods you're unsure about: "Can you eat this?" The brace wearing person should know what he or she can or cannot eat.
Make sure that the person is reliable, though.
You have to question their judgement when the person says that they 'can't eat' brussels sprouts or any other vegetable and 'can eat' chewy sweets and other unhealthy foods. -
Step 3: Avoid buying food that will get between braces.
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Step 4: Buy melt-in-the-mouth foods.
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Step 5: Buy very soft foods.
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Step 6: Buy mashed food.
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Step 7: Take the braces wearing person with you when you go shopping.
Detailed Guide
It is possible, but unlikely, that the pain will last over one week.
Keep this in mind when you are shopping if you don't want to buy brace-friendly food in bulk.
The member of your family who has braces should be able to eat normal food one week after they have had their braces Keep in mind that after eating hard foods, the brace-wearing member of your family can suffer severe aching in the teeth after eating non brace-friendly foods in the week after they have had their braces tightened, or find it impossible altogether.
Completely avoid serving the member of your family with braces hard foods during this time.
If the brace-wearing person is suffering severe pain, depending on their age, give them a pain relief medicine such as Calpol or painkillers to relieve the pain.
The brace wearing person will find it impossible to eat chewy or hard foods during this time.
Particular foods to avoid are the list below.
The foods highlighted in bold are foods that are recommended that you eat none or very little of the whole period in which braces are worn.
This may seem like a long list but remember, the person who has braces should be able to eat almost all of these after one week.
Toffees Nuts Apples Hard breads (baguettes, hard buns, etc.) Chewy or hard sweets (excluding chocolate) Mints Biscuits Carrots and other hard vegetables Hard or chewy pastries (croissants etc.) Samosas, pappadums Chicken (if it is on the bone) and other chewy meats, such as steak and pork. , This is a problem for many brace wearers, because not only is it unsightly, food stuck between braces can cause pain.
The foods to avoid are:
Nuts Apples Couscous (and foods like it, excluding rice) Bread Carrots and other hard vegetables Chewy sweets , Brace wearers will find it easier to consume melt-in-the-mouth foods because it minimizes chewing.
These can be foods such as:
Chocolate Various puddings (such as melt in the middle pudding, or easy to break apart puddings like sponge.) Any other melt in the mouth foods. , Make sure that there are no hard bits in the food that you buy, even if it is soft, to minimize the possibility of chewing and getting hard bits stuck in the braces.
This can be:
Cheese Soft chips Beans and peas (and foods like it, including sweetcorn) Rice Pasta Mince Softened potatoes Sausages Brussels sprouts and other soft vegetables , You don't need to buy baby food for this step, so don't worry.
Just buy mashed or liquidized foods that are easy to eat.
Ideas to try are:
Mashed potato Mushy peas Rice pudding Ice cream Soup Jelly , Ask them for foods you're unsure about: "Can you eat this?" The brace wearing person should know what he or she can or cannot eat.
Make sure that the person is reliable, though.
You have to question their judgement when the person says that they 'can't eat' brussels sprouts or any other vegetable and 'can eat' chewy sweets and other unhealthy foods.
About the Author
Marilyn Clark
Marilyn Clark is an experienced writer with over 8 years of expertise in non profit. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Marilyn creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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