The first day with your braces in Northern Colorado can feel a bit exciting. Dr. Timock and Dr. Mioduski created this practical guide to help you understand what’s best to eat after getting LightForce braces or InBrace lingual braces, from your first smoothie near Old Town Fort Collins to a soft dinner after a stroll by Windsor Lake.
Use this step-by-step plan from our Fort Collins office at Timock Family Orthodontics and our Windsor office at Northern Colorado Orthodontics to make meals simple, comfortable, and satisfying.
What to Expect in the First 48 Hours
Your teeth and gums feel tender because the brackets and wires are applying new, gentle pressure. Chewing will be sensitive at the front of your mouth. Plan to chew with your molars, use small bites, and pick soft foods that do not require tearing or crunching. Cold foods can calm sore spots. Warm foods can be soothing as well. Choose what feels best for you, then stick with that temperature range the first day.
How to Reduce Soreness Before You Eat
Small comfort moves make mealtimes easier. Try these right before breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
- Swish cold water for 30 seconds to settle tender tissues
- Use orthodontic wax on any bracket that rubs
- Take an over-the-counter pain reliever if your physician says it is appropriate
- Keep a saltwater rinse ready, one cup of warm water with a half teaspoon of salt
What to Eat After Getting Braces: Days 1–2 Soft Start
The goal is calories, protein, and hydration without heavy chewing. Think smooth, blended, or tender.
Sample Day 1 Menu
A quick overview so you can copy this into your phone and head to the kitchen.
- Breakfast: Greek yogurt with honey, a blended banana smoothie, and a soft scrambled egg
- Lunch: Creamy tomato soup, mashed avocado thinned with yogurt on a soft tortilla, cut into small bites
- Snack: Applesauce or a ripe pear blended into a puree
- Dinner: Mashed potatoes with soft-baked salmon or silken tofu, steamed zucchini cooked until very tender
Smart Grocery List for Week 1
Stock once, then you can assemble quick meals without thinking.
- Protein: Eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, protein powder, canned tuna or salmon, rotisserie chicken for shredding, tofu
- Carbs: Instant oatmeal, pasta, soft tortillas, white rice, polenta, mashed potatoes
- Produce: Ripe bananas, berries for blending, ripe avocados, canned peaches, cooked squash, baby spinach for wilting
- Extras: Broth, tomato soup, cream-based soups, hummus, nut butters you can thin with yogurt, olive oil for easy calories
Days 3–7: Progressing Texture Without Risk
Soreness usually eases by midweek, so you can add “fork-tender” foods. Nothing sticky or crunchy. Cut everything into pea-sized bites and chew on your molars.
Easy Protein Upgrades
Protein helps tissue repair and keeps you full even when portions are small.
- Shredded rotisserie chicken mixed with broth or yogurt
- Slow-cooked beef or turkey, shredded and saucy
- Baked fish flaked into rice bowls
- Soft bean purees like hummus or refried beans
- Cottage cheese with soft fruit
Comfortable Carbs That Do Not Stick
Your carbs should be soft, not gummy.
- Elbow pasta with marinara or pesto thinned with pasta water
- Polenta or grits topped with soft scrambled eggs
- Buttered noodles with grated parmesan
- Rice bowls with extra sauce for moisture
- Pancakes cut into small squares, served with yogurt instead of sticky syrup
Gentle Produce Game Plan
Vegetables and fruits are still on the menu with a few adjustments.
- Ripe melon or banana, sliced thin
- Steamed carrots and green beans cooked until soft
- Roasted sweet potato, mashed with a fork
- Spinach wilted into eggs, soups, or pasta
Week 2: Bring Back a Little Crunch, Carefully
By the second week, you can test soft “give” foods. You still want to avoid hard crusts, sticky items, and anything you need to tear with your front teeth.
Foods to Try With Caution
When in doubt, cut it smaller and chew it more slowly.
- Sandwiches on very soft bread with thinly sliced fillings, no crusty baguettes
- Rice bowls with flaked fish or shredded chicken and soft vegetables
- Soft tacos on flour tortillas with beans and avocado
- Ripe peaches or nectarines sliced thin, no biting into a whole piece of fruit
- Steamed broccoli, chopped small, tossed with butter or olive oil
Hydration, Temperature, and Bite Strategy
Moisture is your friend. Dry foods rub brackets and wires against delicate tissue.
- Add sauce, broth, or olive oil to everything
- Sip water during meals
- Choose cold or warm options based on comfort, and avoid chewing ice
- Bite with the sides, not the front teeth, and keep portions small
Fort Collins Picks
- Favor soups, soft bowls, and tender proteins
- Soup and soft sides at restaurants near Old Town Square, choose tomato bisque, potato leek soup, or blended veggie soup
- Rice or noodle bowls where you can pick soft tofu, flaked fish, or shredded chicken
- Soft breakfast at spots along College Avenue, like pancakes or eggs, no crunchy granola
- When you picnic at Horsetooth Reservoir, pack hummus, soft tortillas, and ripe fruit that you can cut into small pieces
Windsor Picks
Keep it soft and simple when you grab a bite near Boardwalk Park or Windsor Lake.
- Blended smoothies with Greek yogurt and ripe fruit
- Soft tacos on flour tortillas with beans and avocado
- Pasta dishes with marinara or creamy sauces, request noodles cooked a bit softer
- Tender soups before community events near Main Street, so you are comfortable while you hang out
Foods That Can Damage Braces Right Now
Hard, crunchy, sticky, or chewy items can bend a wire or pop a bracket. That creates extra visits and delays progress.
The “Not Yet” List
These are common culprits during the first months.
- Popcorn, nuts, ice, hard pretzels, thick bagels, crusty bread
- Caramels, taffy, gummy candy, sticky granola bars
- Whole apples or raw carrots that require a big bite, slice or cook them soft if you want the flavor
- Corn on the cob, ribs, or meat on the bone, remove from the cob or bone first
- Tough jerky or very chewy steak
Talk to Our Team Today
Connect with our Fort Collins team at Timock Family Orthodontics or our Windsor team at Northern Colorado Orthodontics. Meet with Dr. Timock or Dr. Mioduski for personalized tips or solutions for soreness. Contact us if you have any questions or concerns.