“You’ll have a beautiful smile when this is all done!”
“It’s only for a couple of years.”
“At least, you can eat ice cream for dinner…”
Of all the things that people might say to you after you have a visit to the orthodontist, only the last statement keeps you going right now, in the moment. The truth is having braces can hurt: Your once solidly positioned teeth are being moved. Yes, you will have a beautiful smile when it’s done and yes, most people only wear braces for a couple of years, but having them does still hurt. That’s life when you’re dealing with braces.
What most people don’t realize is that it’s not just the pressure on the teeth or the brackets scraping against your gums that hurt. Sometimes, while you’re wearing braces, your jaw is literally being realigned, which means you can’t even fully close your mouth anymore. Your teeth no longer line up. That’s where finding the right foods to eat when you’re wearing braces is so important.
If you’ve just gotten your braces tightened or it currently feels like your mouth no longer works right, you’ll love these recipes. They’re delicious and more importantly, they don’t require much of your very sore mouth.
Frozen Banana “Ice Cream”
- 2 frozen bananas that you’ve peeled ahead of time and cut into chunks
- 1 TBSP peanut butter
- Sugar-free chocolate syrup (optional)
Put the bananas in the food processor. Slowly add in milk as needed. Be mindful that too much can make a banana smoothie instead of banana ice cream.
Add in the peanut butter, continuing to blend the ingredients until they’re “ice cream” consistency.
Serve in an ice cream dish. Top with sugar-free chocolate syrup if desired.
*Based on a recipe from The Two Bite Club
Delicious Mashed Potatoes
- 2 lbs. of Yukon Gold potatoes, cut and peeled (1/2-inch squares work best)
- Ground pepper, coarse salt
- 1/2 c. butter, cold and unsalted, cut it into pieces
- 1 1/2 c. warmed heavy cream
- Pinch of white pepper (optional)
Add the potatoes to a large pot, covering them with 2 inches of water that you’ve salted.
Allow the pot to boil. Turn the water down to a simmer and allow the potatoes to cook until they become tender.
Drain them. Push them through a food mill or ricer.
Take out another pan and melt the butter. Stir in the potatoes, until they become stiff.
Add in the cream, stirring so that all the ingredients are well combined. Push through a sieve (a fine mesh one).
Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. Add in white pepper if you want a tiny bit of a spicy kick that’s not overpowering.
*Based on a recipe by Martha Stewart
Spinach and Artichoke Noodles
- 1 12-oz box of pasta noodles
- 1 tsp. butter
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese, reduced fat
- 1/2 c. milk
- 1/2 c. sour cream
- 1/2 lemon, juice it
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or substitute white pepper if crushed red pepper is too spicy for you)
- 1 1/4-oz can artichokes, chopped and drained
- 10-oz frozen spinach, extra water squeezed out
- 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded
- Garnish Parmesan
Cook the noodles, following the recipe on the package.
Get out another saucepan and melt the butter. Add in the garlic.
Cook this until you can smell the garlic – maybe about a half a minute.
Add the cream cheese in until it starts to melt, stirring it to keep it from burning. Then stir in the milk, the lemon juice, the pepper flakes, and the sour cream.
Finally, add in the spinach, cheese, and the artichokes.
Add the drained pasta into the mix. Stir it together until everything is well mixed.
Season it with additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Add more Parmesan cheese to garnish.
*Based on a recipe by A Life of Flavor
Dr. Foley is a London Ontario area orthodontist, providing treatment to children, teens and adults. No referral needed!