Holiday Foods & Braces: The “Naughty” and “Nice” List

Your tree is trimmed, your ugly Christmas sweater is ready to go, and you have the red and green rubber bands on your braces to match! You’re ready for Christmas!

Visions of savory menudo and sweet treats like sugar cookies and candy canes are dancing in your head…yum!

But before you take that first bite, remember that several holiday foods are still off-limits if you have braces. After all, a broken bracket, damaged wire, or mouth injury can end your celebration faster than you can say “ho, ho, ho”! And a dental emergency is the last thing you’ll want to happen when most medical offices are closed for the holidays.

Therefore, we’ve put together a “naughty” and “nice” list to help you enjoy some of the most wonderful foods of the year as safely as possible, with braces:

THE “NICE” LIST: SAFE HOLIDAY FOODS FOR THOSE WITH BRACES

• Hot Chocolate
• Egg-Nog
• Tamales
• Empanadas
• Roscas & pan dulce
• Menudo & pozole
• Turkey
• Ham
• Pasta
• Soft cheeses
• Chocolate covered strawberries and soft fruits

THE “NAUGHTY” LIST: UNSAFE HOLIDAY FOODS FOR THOSE WITH BRACES

• Hard candies like candy canes
• Buñuelos
• Ojarascas or other crunchy/hard cookies
• Peanut brittle
• Caramel desserts (anything sticky)
• Fruit cake (anything with nuts)
• Meat on the bone, such as ribs
• Raw veggies (like on a veggie platter, apples or carrots)

Having braces shouldn’t stop you from enjoying your favorite holiday antojitos, if you choose the right ones. By taking just a few of these precautions, you’ll be unwrapping a beautiful, healthy smile in no time!