What Are Some Great Food Recipes for Braces I Can Try?

A successful orthodontic treatment requires everyone to dedicate a lot of time and effort, including some dietary changes to tell you what foods are good for braces. To achieve this, you don’t have to go through a painful trial and error process. If you’re one of the many people looking for the best orthodontist Norwalk has to offer, you’re in luck. Here at Westwalk Orthodontic Group, we like to help our patients remain fully aware of what they have to do to complete their treatment and get their dream smile.

Once you go over the recommended points, you’ll realize it doesn’t take much to avoid orthodontic emergencies or any situations that might damage your braces. In fact, you’ll realize that whatever momentary adjustments you have to make will be worth it in the long run. After all, knowing which foods to avoid with braces goes beyond the momentary inconvenience of requiring emergency orthodontic care or finding a replacement for your broken orthodontic appliance. We’re talking about changes that help promote good oral health and excellent dental hygiene; these changes help avoid increasing the risk of tooth decay or gum disease, and that can help you feel happy about your smile.

So what are some recipes you can try making during your treatment with traditional metal braces? Let’s review a couple of them here.

Rice in Recipes For Braces

Rice is one of those amazing foods we can integrate into our diets for a healthy source of carbohydrates and the necessary calories that fuel our daily activities. Whether you are considering buying a packet of arborio, jasmine, or basmati rice, there will be a recipe for you to try and enjoy. Just keep in mind that everything in excess can cause harm, and you’ll be fine. Also, please remember to prepare your rice and rinse it under running water thoroughly to get rid of any excess starch that could affect your recipe preparation and digestion.

Mushroom and Chicken Risotto

Risotto is a perfect dinner dish for those cooler evenings in the year, but if we’re entirely honest, it pairs just fine with any reason you find to enjoy a lovely meal on your own or with friends. Furthermore, the soft nature of everything in this dish will help keep your braces safe from any harm. You will still have to clean your teeth thoroughly after your meal, though.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• 2 tbsp. Butter (unsalted);
• ½ lbs. Button Mushrooms (Crimini also work), thinly sliced;
• ⅔ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into cubes or half-inch slices);
• Salt and Black Pepper to taste;
• 5 ½ cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade chicken stock (keep some in reserve just in case, and keep in mind that, ideally, the ration for Risotto is 3 parts liquid to 1 part rice);
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil (you can use Olive Oil, but neutral vegetable oil will cook everything while not burning up as quickly);

• ½ cup chopped white or yellow onion;
• 1 ½ cups arborio rice;
• ½ cup dry white wine (we do not believe in cooking wine. Use something you’d drink, just not something that’s $100 per bottle);
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, and keep more in reserve for plating.
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley to finish.

We’ll be the first to admit that Risotto is something that needs preparation and planning ahead. But when it comes together, it’s so well worth it. We love this dish because it hits all the right notes for us, and it won’t risk damaging your conventional metal braces.

Fried Rice

Here, you’ll want to use a medium-grain rice type and keep the ratio 1:1, meaning equal parts rice and water. A word of advice before we continue, this recipe works best for leftover rice. Fried rice with just-made white rice gets clumpy really easily and it’s not as pleasant. Even though we’re listing a few ingredients recommended by Uncle Roger himself, remember that fried rice is an opportunity to use any leftovers and elevate them into an amazing lunch or dinner option.

• 2 tbsp. Peanut Oil (we know many among our readers won’t have this in their pantry, but it’s something you don’t need much of and can keep in reserve to elevate any stir fry);
• 5 Garlic Cloves, minced or smashed;
• 1 Shallot, sliced;
• 1 Egg +1 Egg Yolk;
• 1 Spring Onion, sliced (reserve the white part near the root to stir fry it with the other aromatics, and leave the greens to add them at the end);
• 1 Red Chili, sliced or chopped (you can try removing the seeds to keep the dish as mild as you’d like, but a little spice might just give this dish the kick it needs);
• 4 Cups of Rice (if it’s a day old, this will turn out even better);
• 2 tbsp. Soy Sauce (your choice of soy sauce will drastically alter the final result, so you should do some experimentation on various brands, low-sodium or not, makes, etc.);
• 2 tbsp. Asian Sesame Oil (again, this is something that will make your stir fry taste much better, but you aren’t expected to have it right off your pantry);

Preparation

When it comes to making the best stir fry and enjoying a plate of this lunch or dinner option, especially for patients with braces, the best thing to do is figure out the order in which you add the things. Developing flavors requires attention; crisped-up aromatics or bloomed spices are great, but burnt garlic will permeate everything and make it taste less than desirable. And please, get everything prepped, chopped, scrambled, and diced before turning the cooker on.

First things first, bring your Wok up to temperature and pour your peanut oil. Proper work technique calls for a complete coat and to drain excess oil once it starts to smoke, but we’re not here to turn you into a pro home cook just yet. Bring your oil to temperature and start frying your shallots and the whites of your spring onion. Please note that if you have any uncooked protein, such as chicken, beef, or shrimp, you should start with those.

After the shallots soften, add the beaten egg and constantly stir to avoid the formation of large curds. Once the egg mixture is almost solid (it should look more like scrambled eggs) you can add your rice to bring it up to temperature. Add the soy sauce down the sides of the wok and use your final touches of sesame oil.

Finally, top everything with the rest of the spring onion and chili.

How Your Recipes for Braces Depend on Your Treatment

Traditional metal braces are the most durable of all orthodontic appliances because they rely on the power of stainless steel to move your teeth around. However, even this treatment option will require patients to examine their dietary habits carefully.

The risk of orthodontic emergencies and tooth decay remains very much real if you’re not careful about what you eat. But the thing is that conventional metal braces aren’t the only option available. When you come to Westwalk Orthodontic Group, you know you can find a reliable Fairfield orthodontic treatment that relies on the experience of the best provider of ceramic braces Norwalk has available.

If you opt for clear braces in Norwalk, you might do so out of the desire to complete your treatment in a more discreet manner. Still, you’ll have to be even more careful about the foods you eat with braces, as ceramic composites are not as durable as stainless steel. Please keep that in mind; ceramic brackets require more care than metal ones.

Then, there are patients who choose Invisalign braces in Norwalk for their treatment. Patients wearing Invisalign clear aligners can take off their trays during mealtimes and eat whatever they want, though they’ll still have to pay close attention to their dental hygiene habits to keep the risk of tooth decay as low as possible.

Whatever you choose for your treatment and foods to eat with braces, you can count on Dr. Steve to help you achieve the best possible version of your smile with a safe and efficient orthodontic treatment plan. Make sure to set an appointment and come to our office at a time that works for you.