‘Can you eat chicken with braces’ is one of the most popularly asked questions amongst those undergoing treatment or those about to. While there are people who dislike chicken, the majority just can’t get enough and we understand that it might be difficult to avoid it. Luckily for you, there may or may not be some conditions that allow you to eat it with braces.

Curious? Keep reading to find out.

Can You Eat Chicken with Braces?

Yes, you can eat boneless chicken with braces. You can pair soft and boneless chicken with easy to chew vegetables. Chicken noodles soup is another way to enjoy chicken with braces. Chicken dishes could be either difficult to chew or too crunchy for your braces – you just need to know which are okay to eat and which ones are not.

Firstly, it is important to pay special attention to your diet the first 24-48 hours after getting braces or after having it tightened. You might be in some pain and eating hard or crunchy foods could hurt you and damage your braces. In this case, you should pick your chicken dishes more carefully. Otherwise, you can have most chicken dishes – with caution.

While chicken is easier on your braces compared to beef, some chicken pieces might be chewy, sticky, hard, or contain bones and some chicken dishes could be paired with hard-to-chew ingredients like raw vegetables, almonds, or nuts. These are not braces-friendly and should therefore be avoided. Chicken dishes like chicken wings, chicken pizza with hard toppings or crust, chicken burger, and fried crispy chicken are some that you should avoid with braces.

We recommend chewing slowly with every meal and sticking to boneless, soft, non-sticky, small sizes of chicken. It is also prudent to cut the chicken into smaller pieces before eating them. You may choose to do this with a fork and knife or with your fingers. You can have dishes like:

Grilled chicken
Chicken pizza with soft crust or toppings
Chicken salad

Meatloaf
Chicken nuggets
Chicken wraps

Chicken fried rice
Chicken soup/noodle soup
Boneless/soft-cooked chicken

Chicken cutlets
Chicken slaw
Chicken sandwich

Lastly, it is important to clean up properly after eating chicken with braces. You might’ve gotten some pieces stuck in your teeth or braces, so flossing properly would help to get them out.

Can You Eat Fried Chicken with Braces?

Yes, you can eat fried chicken with braces – but only if it is boneless, soft, and not crunchy. Instead of fried chicken, you can opt for baked chicken which is a softer and safer option. If you are going to eat fried chicken, you should ensure it is soft-cooked and not too crunchy because crunchy chicken can damage your braces. You should also cut the chicken into smaller pieces for easier chewing.

Can You Eat Chicken Wings with Braces?

Yes, you can eat chicken wings with braces only when you remove the meat from the bone first and cut it into smaller pieces. You should avoid anything that you have to bite into and meat off the bone is number one on that list. Eating chicken wings without removing the bones might cause damage to your braces, brackets, or wires – which could mean a prolonged treatment time or your teeth getting pulled in the wrong direction.

Can You Eat Chicken Strips with Braces?

Yes, you can eat soft chicken strips with braces. If your chicken strips are not hard, crunchy, sticky, or chunky, then you can eat them with braces. However, it is important to cut them into smaller pieces, chew slowly, and clean up properly after eating them.

Can You Eat Chicken Tenders with Braces?

Yes, you can eat chicken tenders with braces. Chicken tenders are soft and recommended as a good alternative for tough or crunchy chicken. It is one of the many ways to enjoy a tasty chicken dish with braces because it is easy to chew, healthy, and braces-friendly. You also have to cut these into smaller pieces and chew carefully.

Can You Eat A Chicken Sandwich with Braces?

Yes, you can eat a chicken sandwich with braces. The key to enjoying a nice chicken sandwich with braces is caution. Use untoasted, soft, whole wheat bread. Some bread types come with seeds that can get stuck somewhere in your braces or cause a bracket to break off. Toasted bread will also have the same effect due to its crunchiness, so it’s best to leave the bread as is. White bread would’ve been a fine choice but it can get stuck in your braces easier than whole wheat bread.

Select ingredients that won’t stain your teeth and give you one more thing to worry about when you take off your braces. You should also make sure the ingredients are easy to chew. Remember to chew slowly and floss/brush properly after.

Read also: Can You Eat Cereal with Braces?

Can You Eat Chicken Alfredo with Braces?

Yes, you can eat chicken Alfredo with braces. Made with pasta, cheese, and soft tender chicken, it is the ideal braces-friendly meal. When making this, it is important to do so properly rather than making it chewy or sticky. It would also be beneficial if the pasta is soft for even better chewing.

Conclusion

Eating chicken with braces requires caution. You need to carefully select the chicken dishes you have by identifying those that are not braces-friendly. For example, hard, sticky, or crunchy meals carry a bright red flag because they can damage your braces or get stuck in your teeth. You should choose softer and easier to chew options.