When your child gets their braces there are certain treats they’re told they can’t eat — hard candies, chewy/sticky candies, gummies, etc. — but what they really want to know is what they CAN eat and top of that list is ice cream.
The good news is that, yes, your child can eat ice cream with braces, in fact, orthodontists actually recommend eating ice cream in the first week of braces treatment. Ice cream can soothe and numb sore teeth as your child gets used to their new braces.
Of course that doesn’t mean bowls of ice cream 24/7! There are caveats to this permission to indulge — there are always caveats. First, know that ice cream is basically sugar and fat, so after eating, make sure your child maintains their proper oral care routine to avoid tooth decay and gum disease.
Second, ice cream can contain other ingredients, such as nuts, hard candies and sticky caramel, that may be hard to chew or get stuck in braces, so be aware of what’s in their frozen treat. Unfortunately, plain ice cream is their best bet, for now.
Avoid giving them very hard or very cold ice cream. Extremely cold foods can cause discomfort and sensitivity to teeth, which can be amplified with braces. Ice cream that is too hard to chew easily can also hurt sensitive teeth during the early days of braces treatment. Have them eat your ice cream slowly and carefully to avoid accidentally biting into a hard chunk of ice cream or getting a brain freeze. Soft-serve ice cream or frozen yogurt are good choices.
If possible, try to avoid ice cream in cones. Some cones can be hard, such as the funnel cones popular at fairs and festivals. Get your child ice cream in cups or bowls to avoid the headache.
And perhaps most important of all, make sure your child maintains a proper oral care routine by brushing, flossing and rinsing after eating ice cream. And if you’re in a place where brushing or flossing is not possible, have your child rinse their mouth out with water just after eating ice cream.
By following these common-sense tips, your child can still enjoy their favorite frozen treat without compromising their braces or their overall dental health.
If you’re still concerned about the potential damage that ice cream or any other food may cause to your child’s braces, you can always consult with your orthodontists at Wafelbakker Anderson Orthodontics. They can provide you with valuable advice on how to care for braces and what foods to avoid during their oral treatment.