At Lakewood Orthodontics, we know that when you’re sick, it can be tough to want to do anything. That can go double for taking care of braces, but did you know that it’s really not all that hard to keep your treatment on point? We’ve asked Dr. Rajanna to put together a how-to for keeping your braces looking and feeling great, even when you’re a bit under the weather, starting with the best foods to keep your care simple and low maintenance. Check it out!
Why Eating Carefully Matters When You’re Sick With Braces
When you’re feeling under the weather, even small tasks can feel like a lot of effort, and eating is often one of them. Add metal or clear braces into the mix, and it’s easy to wonder whether you’re helping or hurting your treatment while you recover. The good news is that with a few simple adjustments, you can stay comfortable, stay nourished, and keep your braces safe. When you’re sick, your mouth is often more sensitive than usual, so choosing foods that are gentle, easy to chew, and kind to irritated tissues makes a noticeable difference. Dr. Rajanna and the team at Lakewood Orthodontics want you to feel prepared and supported, even on your low-energy days, so you can focus on resting while your treatment stays right on track.
Your Mouth Is More Sensitive When You’re Sick
Illness can make your mouth feel tender, dry, or inflamed, especially if you’re dealing with congestion, fever, or dehydration. These changes can make bracket pressure feel stronger than usual, and they may even exaggerate the soreness that sometimes comes with orthodontic adjustments. Because your mouth is already working a little harder, it becomes more important to be gentle with what you eat. Foods that are normally fine might suddenly feel too rough or too difficult to chew. Choosing soft, easy textures helps reduce irritation and gives your mouth a break while you recover.
The sensitivity you experience is often temporary, but it’s still a signal worth listening to. When you choose foods that require minimal chewing, your jaw muscles relax, and your tissues stay calmer. This makes recovery easier and prevents the added discomfort that comes from accidentally bumping a bracket or pressing too hard on sensitive areas. Small, thoughtful changes make a big difference in how you feel day to day.
Soft, Simple Foods Help You Heal and Protect Your Braces
Soft foods are an excellent choice when you’re not feeling your best because they give your stomach something gentle to process while also being kind to your braces. Meals like warm oatmeal, mashed vegetables, soft noodles, and blended soups require very little effort from your teeth and gums. These foods are easy to chew even when you’re fatigued, and they protect your brackets and wires by minimizing unnecessary pressure or sudden biting forces.
Another benefit of soft foods is that they help reduce the chance of damaging a bracket when you’re too tired to eat carefully. Crunchy or sticky foods demand attention and control, which can feel like too much when you’re sick. Softer meals keep everything simple, so you can stay comfortable and stay on track with treatment even if you’re not operating at full energy.
Staying Nourished Supports Faster Recovery
The food choices you make while you’re sick can influence how quickly your body bounces back. Nourishing foods help restore your energy, support your immune system, and keep you hydrated, which all matter when you’re fighting off an illness. Warm broths, scrambled eggs, yogurt, soft fruits, and smoothies give your body what it needs without aggravating sore areas in your mouth. Eating well also helps prevent the dizziness or sluggishness that sometimes comes from skipping meals.
Hydration plays a big role here, too. Drinking plenty of water or warm, mild teas helps soothe your throat, supports healthy saliva flow, and keeps your braces cleaner throughout the day. Your body does its best healing when it has the fuel it needs, so even if your appetite dips, choosing gentle, nutrient-rich foods gives you the best chance at feeling better sooner.
Best Braces-Friendly Foods When You Don’t Feel Well
When you’re sick, having a short list of go-to foods can take away the stress of deciding what to eat. Braces-friendly foods tend to be soft, mild, and easy to prepare, which is perfect when your energy is limited. These foods help you stay comfortable while still giving your body the nutrients it needs to heal. They also reduce the risk of irritation or accidental damage to your brackets, so you can rest without worrying about extra orthodontic issues. Below are a few categories that Dr. Rajanna recommends when you want relief, comfort, and braces-safe meals all in one.
Soothing Warm Options
Warm foods can be especially comforting if you’re dealing with congestion, body aches, or throat soreness. Soups and broths are ideal because they require no chewing and are easy to digest. Chicken noodle soup, pureed vegetable soups, or miso broth give you hydration along with vitamins and minerals. Mashed potatoes, soft rice, or cooked cereals like cream of wheat also fit nicely into this category. These foods provide enough substance to keep you full without putting any strain on your braces.
The warmth can also help relax tense muscles around your mouth and jaw. When soreness is high, even a mild loosening of tension can make eating feel easier. Just be sure the foods are warm rather than piping hot to avoid irritation to sensitive tissues.
Cooling Foods for Fever or Sore Mouths
Cold or cool foods offer a different kind of relief when you’re sick. If you’re dealing with a fever or general tenderness, yogurt, applesauce, smoothies, and soft fruit purees can be soothing. These foods give your mouth a calming break from inflammation and deliver nutrients without requiring much chewing. Soft sorbets or blended frozen fruit can also be refreshing, as long as they don’t contain chunks or hard pieces that might bump against your braces.
The cooling sensation can help reduce sore spots created by irritation or dryness. It can also make it easier to eat at times when warm foods feel overwhelming. Having a variety of warm and cool options ensures you can choose what feels good in the moment.
High-Nutrient Soft Foods That Keep You Energized
When you’re sick, it’s easy to gravitate toward simple foods that fill you without offering much nutrition. Soft foods like scrambled eggs, cooked bananas, oatmeal, avocado, and soft pasta dishes offer more staying power. They provide protein, healthy fats, and slow-burning carbohydrates that help keep your strength up throughout the day.
These foods also tend to be gentle on digestion, which is especially helpful if your illness involves nausea or stomach discomfort. Keeping your body nourished helps you heal faster and gives you more energy to get through the day while your braces stay safe and comfortable.
What to Avoid When You’re Sick With Braces
It may be tempting to reach for familiar comfort foods when you’re not feeling well, but some choices can make you more uncomfortable or interfere with your orthodontic progress. Hard or sticky foods are especially risky because they demand more effort from your teeth and can easily damage brackets or wires. Sugary drinks or acidic foods can create new issues while your mouth is already more vulnerable from dryness or medication. Keeping an eye on what you avoid is just as important as choosing the right foods.
Hard or Crunchy Foods That Can Damage Brackets
Foods like chips, popcorn, crackers, raw vegetables, or crunchy cereals require biting force that may feel uncomfortable when you’re sick and can even break a bracket. When your mouth is sore or tired, it’s easier to bite incorrectly or not notice when something puts too much pressure on your braces.
Sticky or Chewy Foods That Pull on Wires
Caramels, gummies, thick breads, and other sticky foods pose a risk to your brackets because they cling to the teeth and require a strong chewing motion. This is especially tough when your mouth feels sensitive or dry. Sticky items can also increase the amount of cleaning needed afterward, which is harder to stay on top of when you’re not feeling your best.
Sugary or Acidic Drinks That Harm Teeth When You’re Run Down
Illness often dries out your mouth, and that lack of saliva makes teeth more vulnerable to sugar and acid. Drinks like soda, citrus juices, and sports drinks can accelerate enamel wear and contribute to irritation around the gums. Water, mild tea, electrolyte drinks with low acidity, and watered-down juices are much safer choices until you’re feeling better.
Ready to Feel Better and Keep Your Treatment Moving Forward?
Being sick is never fun, but you don’t have to let it derail your smile journey. If you ever have questions about what to eat, how to care for your braces, or whether something you’re experiencing is normal, the team at Lakewood Orthodontics is here to support you. We’re proud to care for patients of all ages at our Lee’s Summit office, and we’re always happy to help you stay comfortable, confident, and on track.
If you need extra guidance or you’re ready to schedule a free consultation, reach out anytime. We’re here to make every step of your treatment feel simple, manageable, and tailored to you.