Short answer. For the first week with braces, eat soft, cool foods that need little chewing: yogurt, smoothies, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, soup, mac and cheese, flaked fish, bananas and applesauce. Teeth start to feel tender a few hours after the braces go on, hurt most on day 2, and feel close to normal by day 5 to 7, when most people return to a regular braces-safe diet.
By Rodrigo F. Viecilli, DDS, PhD, board-certified orthodontist at Limestone Hills Orthodontics in Austin, TX. His PhD is in orthodontic biomechanics, the study of the forces that move teeth, which is where first-week soreness comes from.
Why the first week is the sore week
Braces do not hurt going on. The soreness arrives a few hours later, when the first wire begins to press on teeth that have never been moved. The pressure inflames the thin ligament that holds each tooth in its socket, so the teeth feel bruised and biting down is tender. This is the same process that moves the teeth, and it settles as the ligament adapts.
One practical consequence: eat a proper meal in the first two or three hours after the appointment, while chewing is still comfortable.
The first week with braces, day by day
| Day | How it feels | What to eat |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Fine for a few hours, tender by evening | A normal braces-safe lunch right after the appointment. Dinner: blended soup, mashed potatoes, yogurt |
| Day 2 | Usually the worst day. Any pressure on the teeth is sore | Foods that need no chewing: a Greek yogurt smoothie, cream of wheat, tomato soup, pudding, a milkshake |
| Day 3 | Still tender, starting to ease | Scrambled eggs, oatmeal, mac and cheese, flaked salmon, applesauce |
| Days 4 to 5 | Clearly better. Soft chewing is comfortable | Pancakes, soft pasta, shredded chicken, meatballs, rice, banana, steamed vegetables |
| Days 6 to 7 | Close to normal | A regular braces-safe diet: soft tacos, rice bowls, tender chicken, sandwiches cut small |
Everyone moves through the week at a slightly different pace. If day 3 still feels like day 2, stay on the day 2 foods for another day.
50 soft foods for braces
Dairy and cold foods
- Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Soft cheese, such as mozzarella or string cheese pulled apart
- Milkshakes
- Smoothies
- Pudding
- Ice cream without nuts or hard mix-ins
- Frozen yogurt
- Custard or flan
Eggs
- Scrambled eggs
- Soft omelets
- Egg salad
- Poached or soft-boiled eggs
Grains and soft carbohydrates
- Oatmeal
- Cream of wheat or grits
- Pancakes
- French toast
- Soft bread without the crust
- Mashed potatoes
- Mashed sweet potatoes
- Macaroni and cheese
- Well-cooked pasta or ramen noodles
- Soft rice or risotto
Soups
- Tomato soup
- Chicken noodle soup
- Potato or broccoli cheddar soup
- Lentil soup
Protein
- Flaked fish, such as salmon or tilapia
- Tuna salad
- Shredded chicken
- Meatballs
- Meatloaf
- Slow-cooked pulled pork or pot roast
- Ground beef or turkey, as taco meat or sloppy joes
- Tofu
- Refried beans or soft black beans
- Hummus
Fruits and vegetables
- Bananas
- Applesauce
- Ripe avocado or guacamole
- Watermelon and other ripe melon
- Ripe peaches or canned fruit in juice
- Soft pears or mango cut into cubes
- Steamed carrots, squash or zucchini
- Creamed spinach
- Mashed cauliflower
Treats
- Gelatin dessert
- Popsicles, licked and not bitten
- Soft cake or cupcakes
- Cheesecake without the crust
How to get enough protein without chewing
The common mistake in week one is living on ice cream and mashed potatoes. Teenagers in particular run short on protein and feel tired and hungry by day 3. These need little or no chewing:
- Greek yogurt, which has about twice the protein of regular yogurt
- Smoothies made with milk, Greek yogurt or smooth peanut butter
- Scrambled eggs and egg salad
- Cottage cheese
- Refried beans, lentil soup and hummus
- Flaked fish and tuna salad
- A ready-to-drink protein shake
Why cold foods help
Cold calms inflamed tissue for a short while, the same way an ice pack does for a bruise. Cold water, a smoothie or ice cream gives real relief on days 1 to 3. Let ice melt in the mouth. Chewing ice is one of the most common ways to break a bracket.
An over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen, taken as the label directs, covers what food cannot. For more comfort measures see how to stop braces pain.
What to skip in the first week
The permanent list of foods to avoid with braces applies from day one: nothing hard, sticky or chewy. For the first week, also hold off on foods that are allowed later but hurt now:
- Crusty bread, bagels and pizza crust
- Raw vegetables and whole raw fruit
- Steak, pork chops and other meats that take real chewing
- Burgers and thick sandwiches
- Thin chips and crackers
- Citrus, salsa and hot sauce if the brackets have rubbed a sore spot on the cheek
The same plan works after adjustments
Each time a wire is changed or tightened, some tenderness returns. It is milder and shorter than the first week, usually one to three days. Go back to the day 2 and day 3 foods and move forward from there.
When soreness is normal and when to call
Normal: a dull ache in all the teeth, tenderness when biting, and rubbing on the cheeks and lips that eases as the skin toughens over one to two weeks. Orthodontic wax over the bracket that rubs helps.
A wire end that pokes the cheek is a different problem with its own fix; see what to do when a braces wire is poking.
Call the office if any of these happen:
- Pain that is getting worse after day 4, when it should be fading
- A wire end poking the cheek that wax does not cover
- A bracket that has come loose or slides along the wire
- Swelling of the gum or face, or a fever
- Soreness so strong that eating or drinking is not possible
Limestone Hills patients can reach the office at (512) 720-6399, and the orthodontic emergency page explains what can wait and what cannot.
Common questions about eating in the first week of braces
Is day 2 the worst for braces pain?
For most people, yes. Soreness builds over the first 24 hours, is strongest on day 2 and sometimes day 3, and then fades. By day 5 to 7 most patients are comfortable.
How long until I can eat normal food with braces?
About a week. Most people are back to a regular braces-safe diet by day 5 to 7. Normal still excludes hard, sticky and chewy foods until the braces come off.
What fast food can I eat the first week with braces?
Choose the soft items: Wendy’s chili, a baked potato and a Frosty, Chick-fil-A mac and cheese, chicken noodle soup and a milkshake, McDonald’s hotcakes, scrambled eggs and soft serve, Panera soups, and Taco Bell bean burritos. Leave burgers and anything crunchy for week two.
Can I eat ramen, rice or mac and cheese with new braces?
Yes. All three are soft and need little chewing. Cook noodles and rice until they are fully tender, and let hot food cool a little before eating.
How do you chew with braces when your teeth are sore?
Cut food into small pieces, place it on the back teeth and chew slowly. Do not bite or tear with the front teeth. Chewing gets easier each day, and gentle chewing helps the soreness pass.
Once the week is over, what can you eat with braces covers the everyday diet for the rest of treatment. Limestone Hills Orthodontics places braces in Austin at its office on RM 2222. New patients go home with orthodontic wax and a number to call, (512) 720-6399.
Sources. American Association of Orthodontists, What Can I Eat with Braces? A Comprehensive Guide (aaoinfo.org/blog/what-can-i-eat-with-braces). American Association of Orthodontists patient guidance on discomfort after appliance placement and adjustment. Clinical observations from Limestone Hills Orthodontics, Austin, TX.
