Pizza is a favorite food for many, young and old. But what if you — or your children — just got braces? Does that remove this tasty food from your diet?Let’s answer the question: Can you eat pizza with braces?
Ah, delicious pizza. You’re cheesy. You’re doughy. And all those toppings! Aaaand… now I’m hungry. But I digress.
If you or your kids have just been fitted with new braces, you may be wondering whether you can still enjoy this delightfully indulgent food.
So, can you eat pizza with braces? The good news: You can! As long as you follow a few simple best practices.
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What to know about eating pizza with braces
The main concern when eating pizza with braces is taking care not to damage them. This is a common concern when it comes to crunchy foods, hard foods, or sticky foods like crackers, hard candies, and caramel. But pizza can pose some risks to your braces as well.
What to avoid
According to the American Association of Orthodontists, if you opt for pizza while wearing your braces, it’s a good idea to steer clear of ones with hard, chewy, or crunchy crusts — or pizzas with stuffed crusts. Hard crusts can be difficult to chew through, and they could bend or break components of your braces, especially the metal wires.
Bulky or stringy toppings like sausage or spinach should also be avoided.
Little pieces of food particles from these sorts of toppings can get stuck between the brackets of your braces and your teeth, and be difficult to remove. This could eventually cause problems for your teeth, like tooth decay.
How to eat pizza with braces
If you have braces, good choices include softer, easier-to-eat toppings like mushrooms or ham. Even pepperoni can be a good option. Just try to avoid getting it stuck in between your braces. Also, consider skipping hard vegetables.
Go for a kind of pizza that has a soft crust like pan pizza or deep dish. Some thin-crust pizza is also softer. Just make sure if you do choose thin crust that it isn’t the hard, crunchy kind.
This can be a bit challenging if you’re eating out at a pizza parlor. But you can simply ask the staff if they can make a softer crust if you have concerns.
If you’re making your own pizza at home, you can easily adjust it to your needs so it’s more compatible with your braces and so you limit any risk of damaging them.
Can I still eat the cheese on pizza?
Yes, the most common cheeses used to make pizza shouldn’t pose a problem for your braces.
Great options include mozzarella and parmesan. Mozzarella is a bit stringy but usually won’t stick to your braces or teeth. Similarly, parmesan also won’t be overly difficult for your braces to manage. You could even opt for a soft goat cheese or feta cheese.
Just try not to go overboard with the cheese, as large amounts could end up in your braces if you’re not careful.
More tips on eating pizza with braces
Now that you know what type of pizza to eat, there are some other guidelines that can help you enjoy pizza as much as possible if you wear braces.
First, be sure to take small bites so you can chew them fully and help prevent larger chunks from getting lodged in your braces.
Also, try to avoid opening your mouth too widely. This can negatively affect your braces and how they fit.
If you’re in your first week of braces, consider skipping pizza and eating softer, easier-to-chew foods for a few days. That should give you time to adjust and get a better feel for how to eat other foods.
Remember good oral health with braces
Whether you’re eating pizza or any of your favorite foods, dentists recommend adhering to a good oral hygiene regimen after eating in order to take care of your braces. Some steps to take include:
- Flossing regularly. This is a great way to keep food particles out of your teeth and help prevent dental issues. The best way is to use floss wire to carefully get under the wires of the braces. To reach your back teeth, use a long section of floss.
- Brushing carefully. Use a soft toothbrush after eating to remove any food items that may be stuck on. You can angle the toothbrush to get to any hard-to-reach areas along the braces.
- Rinsing throughout the day. This can get rid of food particles that may collect in your braces after eating.
- Use an oral irrigator or water jet. You can remove small pieces of stuck-on food particles and plaque with this device. It uses a moderately pressurized water jet to dislodge food from teeth and braces.
FAQ
Tomato-based pizza sauce, as well as other kinds, are ok to eat with regular metal braces as it will not stain them. However, you should avoid them if you have ceramic braces or clear aligners, as dark-colored foods can stain them easily.
Bottom line
If you’ve just gotten braces and were worried about whether you could still eat pizza, you’re in luck. Most should be ok to eat as long as you take care to choose a soft-crust pizza.
Just avoid hard bread or a tougher crust, as well as chunky, stringy toppings that could get stuck in your braces. Also, go for easy-to-chew toppings and avoid overly cheesy pizza.
More food-related answers
See what other foods may or may not be safe to eat with braces. See the posts below.
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