What Foods Are Easy to Eat with Clear Aligners?

Choose the Best Foods to Eat with Clear Aligners

Are you new to wearing clear aligners and unsure of what you can eat? Don’t worry. Biltmore Dental Center can help you determine all the foods to eat with clear aligners. After all, you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your favorite meals to achieve the smile you’ve always wanted. Whether you’re a bona fide foodie or a picky eater, we’ll guide you through delicious, aligner-friendly food choices. This blog will outline foods that are safe and foods you might want to avoid, but you can also call our exceptional staff with any questions about what to eat or how to maintain your clear aligners.

Biltmore Dental Center Specializes in Clear Aligners

The oral health professionals at Biltmore Dental Center have extensive experience fitting and maintaining clear aligners for our patients in Phoenix and the surrounding areas. We cater to adults who desire a discreet way to straighten their teeth and enhance their smiles. Our treatments focus on patient care and satisfaction. We use state-of-the-art tools and technology to produce the best results possible for your smile. However, we understand the clear aligner process can seem lengthy. It requires months of wearing clear aligners, so many of our patients are curious about food choices during the treatment. We’re proud to answer all of your questions about foods you can and cannot eat while using clear aligners.

Foods You Can Eat with Clear Aligners

The beauty of clear aligners is you can remove them to eat. This gives you the freedom to enjoy a wide variety of your favorite foods. But you may also opt to eat while wearing them. Some of the aligner-friendly options we recommend for nutritious value and limited risk of interfering with teeth alignment are:

• Soft Fruits and Vegetables – Soft fruits like bananas, berries, and melons are excellent choices. They’re easy to chew and won’t damage your aligners. Other great dinner options include cooked carrots, steamed broccoli, and avocados. Each provides essential nutrients without posing a risk to your aligners.
• Dairy Products – Yogurt, milk, and cheese are packed with calcium, which is crucial for maintaining strong teeth. Soft cheeses like brie and cottage cheese are among the easiest to consume and can easily be paired with other foods.
• Smoothies and Soups – If you want to avoid the hassle of chewing, opt for a smoothies to get your daily dose of fruits and vegetables. Also, soups – especially pureed ones – are easy to consume and filling.
• Foods Cut Into Small Pieces – When possible, we recommend cutting your food into small pieces to make it easier to eat. You can section your sandwiches, pizza, or even meat to fit your needs.
• Other Soft Foods – We also recommend a range of other soft foods including oatmeal and mashed potatoes.

Foods to Avoid While Wearing Clear Aligners

Just as some foods are easy to eat with clear aligners, there are a handful you should avoid to protect your oral appliances. For safety and best results from your treatment, steer clear of the following:

• Hard and Crunchy Foods – Nuts, hard candies, and raw vegetables can damage your clear aligners. It is best to avoid any foods that require significant bite pressure such as these. The force from chewing could cause cracks or even break your aligners.
• Sticky and Chewy Foods – Gum, caramel, and toffees can get stuck in your aligners, making them difficult to clean. Additionally, bagels and certain types of bread may pose a problem because they can get lodged between your teeth and aligners. Ultimately, sticky and chewy foods make oral hygiene difficult to maintain.
• Sugary and Acidic Foods – Avoid sugary or acidic foods that can weaken your enamel while undergoing orthodontic treatment. Keeping your teeth and gums clean is already more difficult than usual, so we suggest avoiding compounding factors.

Visit Biltmore Dental Center for a Clear Aligner Consultation Today

Over time, you will recognize what foods will be easy to eat with your clear aligners and which foods are best to avoid. But Biltmore Dental Center will help at the beginning and any other time throughout your dental treatment. And remember, the key to success is maintaining good oral hygiene. If you want to take out your clear aligners to eat a piece of candy occasionally, do so. Just be sure to clean your teeth and aligners thoroughly afterward. Contact us today for other tips and suggestions about your clear aligners.