Thanksgiving Day is a great opportunity for the whole family to gather, spend quality time together, and enjoy turkey and delicious side dishes and desserts. Having braces doesn’t rule out indulging in tasty food on Thanksgiving Day. However, it can be challenging if you have recently had braces put on, and your gums are sore. The risk of breaking a bracket increases, as well. Fortunately, it’s possible to avoid unwanted scenarios, and this post is going to help you enjoy your Turkey Day stress-free.

Oral hygiene is crucial

The first and most important thing to bear in mind is that oral hygiene is vital even on Thanksgiving Day. When you’re enjoying time with the family, eating delicious foods, it’s easy to forget about your dental health, which can cause problems later on. Be sure to brush and floss before you start the relaxing evening. That way, your teeth, and braces are clean, and you’ll prevent the temptation to snack later.

Foods to eat and avoid

Braces won’t stop you from indulging in delicious foods, but you do need to be careful in order to avoid breaking the brackets. Foods to avoid eating on Thanksgiving Day to prevent bracket breakage include hard, sticky, and tough foods such as turkey legs, bone-in meats, crunchy salad ingredients, raw and hard vegetables such as carrots and celery, cracks, chips, pecan pie, and casseroles with crunchy ingredients. When it comes to desserts, you need to avoid anything with caramel and all candied items. So what can or should you eat on Thanksgiving Day? Options are endless, such as:

• Salads (but without crunchy ingredients)
• Turkey and ham cut into small pieces and not eaten off the bone
• Stuffing
• Cooked vegetables
• Salami slices
• Cheese chunks
• Dips with bread slices
• Pumpkin pie
• Fruit, custard, and cream pies

See your dentist after Thanksgiving Day

Adults and children with braces may benefit from scheduling an appointment to see the dentist right after Thanksgiving Day for dental exams and teeth cleaning. This is a great opportunity to check the braces. To protect your braces this Thanksgiving, you may need to avoid crunchy, sticky foods and opt for soft and equally delicious alternatives. Don’t forget about your dental hygiene, but more importantly, have a blast with your loved ones.