Thanksgiving is actually a perfect meal to eat while wearing braces! We encourage our patients with braces to eat soft foods. Turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing is just the recipe for those tender teeth.
Lets take a look at some of the foods individually…
Salads: Leafy salads are great without crunchy nuts or croutons. Waldorf salad or other fruit salads with crunchy apples or nuts in them should probably wait until next Thanksgiving when you are braces free.
Stuffing: Stuffing is generally soft, which makes it fine for braces. Just steer clear of the outside edges that may have become crunchy in the oven or any pecans or walnuts that might be hiding inside.
Turkey or ham: Either of these main attractions are fine to eat with braces as long as they are cut in small pieces and not eaten off the bone. Stay away from the Turkey Legs!
Vegetables: This may or may not be a good thing for you, but you can eat as many cooked vegetables as you’d like. This includes sweet potato casserole without nuts and mashed potatoes and gravy.