Do you or your teen have braces and find it challenging to enjoy fast food delicacies? Fear not! This blog post will explore creative ways to savor your favorite fast-food treats without compromising your orthodontic progress. Join us as we navigate the world of braces-friendly fast food indulgence, ensuring both parents and teens can enjoy their meals without worry.
Oh, the dilemma of having braces and craving your favorite fast food! Fast food has become so essential to our culture that it's hard to avoid. Plus, it's a quick and easy meal option for busy individuals. However, having braces can make indulging in fast food tricky, and it may even seem impossible at times. The good news is that many braces-friendly fast food options won't damage your orthodontic progress. It all depends on making the best choice available to you at the time.
Let's dive in and make braces life a little more delicious!
We're breaking down three of the most popular fast food types and sharing braces-friendly fast food options for each.
1. Pizza
It's not just Michelangelo; most Americans love pizza! In fact, 73% of adults* consume pizza at least once a month. So, with it being such a favorite food, is it something you can enjoy while wearing braces?
Happily, the answer is yes! While patients must be careful anytime they are directly biting into a food item, pizza is considered a braces-safe food.
But watch out for extra thick dough varieties that can get stuck in braces and can bend wires, and we do not recommend eating the end crusts of any type of pizza. Pizza crusts are too hard for braces, and biting down on them can cause breakage and extended treatment times.
2. Tacos
Not all tacos are bad for braces! While they are a common item to avoid when eating hard, crunchy shells or tortilla chips, choosing flour tortillas for soft tacos is a great option. They are soft and flexible and don't require much care like the more rigid shells. So indulge your next late-night taco craving with a soft flour tortilla, quesadilla, or burrito!
Cinnamon twists should also be traded in for the very popular cinnamon roll bites at your favorite fast-food Mexican joint.
3. Chicken
Nuggets, tenders, strips, or on the bone, Chicken is a very popular fast food choice for many families with kids.
Biting directly into chicken on the bone is not recommended because the harder bones are likely to bend the wires of braces. The same goes for wings. In these instances, we encourage our patients to cut the chicken into small pieces before eating.
Nuggets and tenders are also excellent options for people craving chicken! Smaller in size and boneless, they are considered braces-friendly food. While we should always be cautious of the amount of breading on the chicken and ensure it is not too thick or hard to bite into, chicken is an excellent choice for those who are eating fast food while having braces.
What about you?
Where is your favorite place to eat fast food while wearing braces? Do you have a favorite nugget place? Be sure to share with us in the comments below! If you ever have questions about foods to avoid with braces, you can always check out our previous blog post on the topic or call our Valdosta, GA office at (229) 245-1800. We're here to help you live life smiling!
* https://bjtonline.com/business-jet-news/4-facts-about-us-pizza-consumption