If you look at the food list that most orthodontists provide patients with, you probably won’t find pretzels as a choice. We’re here to tell you that you actually can still have them if they’re the right type of pretzel. For example, eating a soft pretzel shouldn’t be a problem with braces. What this means is that having braces doesn’t mean you need to say goodbye to all of the foods you love.
How About Hard Pretzels?
There are several different types of hard pretzels and yes, there are versions that you can eat. Thin pretzels are the best options and there are several to choose from including pretzel sticks, twists and braided. Some grocery stores even sell extra thin pretzels. Anyway, eating the thin versions reduces the chance of breaking a bracket. If you eat thick hard pretzels, you definitely run the risk of breaking brackets.
Get Creative
While it may seem difficult to avoid hard foods that you like, including thick pizza crusts, raw vegetables, nuts and hard breads, in some cases there are easy to chew versions that you can have. Thin versions of pretzels are a good example. You can get creative with some foods if you can’t live without them, like making mini pizza’s using a soft English muffin as a base. You can also cook vegetables, like carrots, just long enough that they’re easy to chew, but can still be dipped in hummus for a filling snack. Another good idea is to browse the snack, cracker or chip section of your local grocery store to discover other, braces friendly snacks, including pretzels. Bottom line, it just takes one bad bite to brake brackets and undermine your orthodontic treatment.
If you have any additional questions regarding the orthodontic food list, or anything else for that matter, contact E&S Orthodontics today. We’re here to help and look forward to hearing from you.
