Can You Eat Fish and Seafood With Braces? Boneless is Best!
Can you eat fish or indeed seafood with braces? Yes! We see a lot of soft, easy-to-chew, and easy-to-digestion seafood today. You can still enjoy seafood while wearing braces with tuna, salmon, and crab cakes.
Fish without bones, salmon, and tuna are good choices. Vegetarian chili, soft cooked lentils, and soft cooked beans are delicious meat-free dishes that you can enjoy if you don’t eat meat.
We searched the web for more information on forums about seafoods you can eat with braces.
Can You Eat Shrimp with Braces?
The meat of prawns is usually quite soft, so you shouldn’t have any problems eating them if you’re wearing braces.
Food “hardness” and food “stickiness” should be considered when determining what is okay to eat while wearing braces.
To prevent bending or breaking the wires in your mouth, avoid chewing anything that has hard chunks. Damage can be caused to wires by popcorn kernels, nuts, seeds, hard candy, apples, crunchy vegetables etc.
Getting stuck between the wires and brackets of your teeth can be a problem with sticky items that do not “clear” the mouth quickly. The likes of gum, caramel, taffy. Avoid eating foods that stick between your teeth, even if you don’t have braces.
After eating, excellent oral hygiene is essential with braces. After eating, swish vigorously with lots of clean water if you’re at school/work during the day
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush your teeth thoroughly, but gently. Use a water pick to reach those hard-to-reach places, and use interdental brushes/picks to get between your teeth.
You should consult with your dentist first to find out what kind of guide to follow based on your treatment condition before consuming your favorite foods.
Foods you can eat with braces
Here is a more extensive extended table of foods that you can eat with braces, including examples of each type of food and a description of how to prepare them:
| SOFT FOODS | EXAMPLES | HOW TO PREPARE |
|---|---|---|
| Pudding | Chocolate pudding, tapioca pudding | Mix pudding mix with milk according to package instructions and refrigerate until set. |
| Jell-O | Any flavor of Jell-O | Mix Jell-O powder with boiling water and refrigerate until set. |
| Yogurt | Plain yogurt, fruit-flavored yogurt | Open container and spoon out desired amount. |
| Smoothies | Banana smoothie, berry smoothie | Blend together desired fruits, milk or yogurt, and ice until smooth. |
| Soft cooked meat | Chicken breast, fish fillets | Cook meat in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked and tender. |
| Tofu | Silken tofu, firm tofu | Cut tofu into small cubes and cook in a skillet over medium heat until heated through. |
| Mashed potatoes | Plain mashed potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes | Peel and chop potatoes, boil in salted water until tender, then mash with butter and milk. |
| MODERATE FOODS | EXAMPLES | HOW TO PREPARE |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked vegetables | Cooked carrots, cooked green beans | Peel and chop vegetables, steam or boil until tender. |
| Soft fruits | Ripe bananas, ripe peaches | Peel and slice fruits, or blend into a smoothie. |
| Soft cheeses | Cream cheese, feta cheese | Slice or spread cheese on crackers or bread. |
| Soft cooked grains | Cooked rice, cooked quinoa | Cook grains according to package instructions, or use leftover cooked grains from a previous meal. |
| Flaked fish | Salmon, tilapia | Cook fish in a skillet over medium heat until flaky and fully cooked. |
| Pasta | Cooked spaghetti, cooked macaroni | Cook pasta according to package instructions, then toss with sauce or butter. |
| FOODS TO AVOID | EXAMPLES |
|---|---|
| Hard foods | Nuts, hard candies, ice, raw carrots, corn on the cob |
| Sticky foods | Gum, caramels, gummies, taffy, toffee |
| Crunchy foods | Popcorn, chips, pretzels, crackers, raw apples and pears |
| Chewy foods | Bagels, crusty bread, pizza crust, beef jerky |
| Sugary foods and drinks | Soda, candy, cake, cookies, fruit juice, sports drinks |
Recipes For Fish With Braces
Here are some simple fish recipes that can be easily adapted for people with braces:
- Baked Fish: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Season a piece of fish with salt, pepper, and your choice of herbs and spices. Place the fish on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake the fish in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Poached Fish: Fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Add the fish to the boiling water and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until it is cooked through. Remove the fish from the water and season with butter, lemon juice, and your choice of herbs and spices.
- Grilled Fish: Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Season the fish with salt, pepper, and your choice of herbs and spices. Grill the fish for 5-10 minutes on each side, or until it is cooked through.
Conclusion
So, can you eat fish with braces? YES. Just follow our tips above and stick with boneless soft options like tuna and salmon.Â
You should consult with your dentist first to find out what kind of guide to follow based on your treatment condition before consuming your favorite foods.
For more foods, read our comprehensive fast foods with braces post.
Can You Eat Fish With Braces?
Perry heads up a dynamic marketing team that has help the leading orthodontic practices in the USA 10X their business for over a decade. He’s a tea connoisseur, avid reader, traveling and grower of exotic fruits in his permaculture food forest.
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