Whether you’re thinking about getting braces or you’re already on your way to a fantastic new smile, you might have some questions surrounding braces and food. Well, let us put your mind at ease; you can still eat most of the things you love and you won’t have to make drastic changes to your lifestyle just because you’re straightening your teeth. Today, we’ll be going over what to eat during treatment and sharing some of the Davis Orthodontics team’s favorite restaurants for braces-friendly food in Greer and Simpsonville, SC.
What to Eat With Braces
When Dr. Buddy puts your braces on, he’ll fill you in on everything you need to know about life with braces. One of the important aspects is braces and food. You will have to avoid really chewy, crunchy, sticky and hard foods since they can damage your braces. Some examples include:
- Bagels
- Licorice
- Nuts
- Hard candies
- Caramel
- Popcorn
- Chips
- Chewing gum
- Foods that require biting into like whole raw apples or carrots and corn on the cob (off the cob or cut into small pieces is okay).
Now, what foods are safe to eat with braces? Pretty much everything else! It’s actually less about what you eat and more about how to eat with braces on. Always cut up food into bite-sized pieces, chew with your back teeth and never tear into or bite into food with your front teeth. Take meat off the bone and really just focus on making things easy to eat.
When you first get your braces put on and following adjustments, your teeth can be a little sensitive. This goes for Invisalign too, since putting in new aligners can cause the same kind of sensitivity. Soft foods and cold drinks can help alleviate discomfort. Some great options include:
- Soft cheese
- Yogurt
- Pudding
- Pancakes
- Pasta
- Soft-cooked meats and seafood
- Mashed potatoes
- Soft tortillas
- Muffins without nuts
- Rice
- Steamed or roasted veggies
- Applesauce
- Bananas
- Beans
- Tofu
- Smoothies and milkshakes (in moderation)
- Jell-O
What Type of Restaurants Can I Eat at With Braces?
The vast majority of restaurants will have plenty of braces-friendly food choices for you to enjoy. If you like dining out and it’s a part of your social life, you’ll be happy to know that having braces won’t interfere. It’s always a good idea to bring a travel toothbrush, toothpaste and floss with you if you won’t be going home right after, since brackets and wires do tend to trap food.
Where to Eat Out With Braces On in Greer & Simpsonville
- Laurenda’s Family Restaurant – 300 South Line Street, Greer, SC – Laurenda’s is one of our go-to Greer restaurants. They serve up home-cooked food, cafeteria style. The portions are generous enough that you’ll have leftovers, the service is friendly and, most importantly, everything is delicious. Our recommendations for braces-friendly food include the turkey and dressing with gravy, macaroni and cheese, collard greens and sweet potato soufflé.
- Stella’s Southern Bistro – 684 Fairview Road, Simpsonville, SC – Stella’s is definitely one of the best Simpsonville, SC restaurants. It’s known for its coastal southern cuisine using a lot of fresh, local ingredients. It’s not the most kid-friendly spot on our list but a lot of our Simpsonville braces patients are adults and they should have awesome meals too! Our favorite braces-friendly options include the Happy Cow buttermilk fried okra, shrimp and grits, local squash casserole, the seared NC monkfish and Stella’s tomato basil soup.
- Andino Italian & Andean Restaurant & Bar – 101 Brookwood Drive, Greer, SC – You’ll find a ton of braces-friendly food in Greer at Andino. The restaurant serves Italian cuisine as well as Andean dishes and the menu contains very few foods to avoid with braces. Italian food in general is easy on the mouth and your hardware while still being packed with flavor, making it a great choice. Our suggestions are the eggplant parmigiana, the spaghetti and meatballs, the pollo saltado and the chicken marsala.
- El Tejano Mexican Restaurant – 38 Ray E Talley Ct, Simpsonville, SC – This casual Simpsonville Mexican restaurant has some of the best service around and fantastic food. We’re often asked is it okay to eat tacos with braces? While you’ll want to stay away from hard taco shells, soft tacos are definitely braces-friendly! Now as for our suggestions of what to eat with braces at El Tejano, you can’t go wrong with the vegetarian fajitas, beef and bean burrito, chicken enchilada or chile relleno.
- The Great Bay Oyster House – 109 E. Poinsett Street, Greer, SC – Another one of our top places to go for braces-friendly food in Greer is The Great Bay Oyster House. You’ll find gulf oysters, fresh seafood and even sushi in a relaxed atmosphere. We’d recommend the raw cold oysters, grilled crab cake, pan-seared scallops and the grilled salmon.
- Poke Bros – 654 Fairview Road, Simpsonville, SC – Poke Bros in a fast casual restaurant the serves healthy, delicious, authentic Hawaiian poke bowls complete with sushi-grade fish and fresh veggies. If you’re looking for quick, nutritional. braces-friendly food in Simpsonville, look no further. It’s the perfect spot to grab a guilt-free lunch. Our favorite dishes for braces-wearers are the Johnny Utah and The Duke bowls but you can also build your own custom bowl.
- Generations Bistro & Bar – 912 S. Batesville Road, Greer, SC – Generations is a family-friendly Greer restaurant that uses local, farm-fresh ingredients. It also happens to have plenty of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. While the dishes are on the fine-dining side, the ambiance is welcoming and laidback and even the kiddos will love it. Our recommendations for braces-friendly food include pita and hummus, crab less stuffed portabella and the Generations plate.
- Zamorah’s – 106 NE Main Street, Simpsonville, SC – Last, but certainly not least, in our compilations of the best places for braces-friendly food in Simpsonville is Zamorah’s. They serve home-cooked Southern soul food. It’s cozy and the food is nostalgic, comforting and incredibly tasty. You won’t want to pass on the fried chicken (just be sure to cut it into bite-sized pieces if you’re wearing braces), the meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, cabbage or potato salad.
Now that you know about some awesome local places that serve braces-friendly food, it’s time to kick-off your teeth-straightening journey. Book a free consultation at Davis Orthodontics today to learn more about our options for braces in Greer and Simpsonville! Schedule online or by giving us a call at (864) 801-3500 (Greer) or (864) 967-0053 (Simpsonville).
