If you, or your child, has recently had braces put on, you’re going to have a lot fo questions about what to eat. But what about Oreo cookies, specifically? Are these a good idea? Well, let’s find out, shall we!
So, can you eat Oreo cookies with braces? You generally shouldn’t eat Oreos with braces. As they are hard cookies that contain lots of sugar, brace damage is more likely. The sugar content can also result in tooth decay and gum disease if braces are not properly cleaned. That being said, oreos that are made softer (with milk) are more brace friendly.
Ultimately, you don’t want braces to break, nor do you want all that time, effort and pain to go to waste!
So, it is a good idea to opt for other, more brace-friendly options. But more on these later.
For now, let us take a closer look at exactly how you can eat oreos more safely if you really do want to consuming these delicious chocolatey cookies.
How To Eat Oreos With Braces
You can eat Oreos with braces if you find a way to soften them. The best way to do this is to dunk them in milk, or milk substitute, until they become much softer.
A lot of people like to dip their cookies into milk anyway.
If that’s what you do with your Oreos, then great, no need to adjust to a new texture.
However, if you do prefer your Oreos straight out of the packet, then you’re going to have to get used to modifying your Oreos.
As Oreos are such a hard cookie, they are tougher to bite into.
When we bite into harder cookies, it puts more pressure on our teeth.
Think about it. What’s easier to bite and chew? Hard or soft?
Of course, it’s soft.
So, in order to lessen that pressure Oreos usually put on our teeth, we have to alter their texture so they are softer.
This way, biting into an Oreo will put less pressure on your braces and significantly reduce the risk of them breaking.
If you don’t soften your Oreos, then you run a serious risk.
Pressure from hard Oreos will lead to your braces breaking in the form of brackets popping off and wires bending.
Every time this happens, you need to go back to the orthodontist to get these braces fixed or refitted.
And that’s only going to mean your brace-wearing days are extended.
So, you can choose.
Hard Oreos but at the cost of wearing braces for the rest of your life.
Or soft Oreos for a couple of years. It’s up to you.
Will Oreos Get Stuck In Your Braces?
Oreos will get stuck in your braces, just like most cookies and treats. You can choose to avoid them, or, try tricks to help keep your braces clear of Oreo residue.
Every brace wearer around the world has to face the inevitable of food getting stuck in their braces.
Sadly, it is our sugary treats that are the worst culprits.
That’s because their sugar content makes them sticky, which means, you guessed it, they find it easier to get stuck and lodged in your braces.
Oreos are no exception!
Don’t panic though!
As I’ve already said, food getting stuck in your braces is inevitable.
Eating hard cookies, now that is not inevitable.
So, if you’re eating hard Oreos, that’s going to cause you big issues.
However, if you have softened them and some get stuck in your braces after eating, don’t be alarmed.
You need to do exactly what you would if it was any other piece of food stuck up there in your brackets.
And that is, of course, to brush your teeth after eating.
This way you can clear any excess Oreos out of your braces, meaning they won’t be left there to generate excess build-ups of sugar and bacteria in your braces.
As you know, such build-ups are not good because they can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.
Who wants that?
Not anyone I know.
Best Practices When Eating Oreos With Braces?
Two fundamental processes exist as the best practices for eating Oreos with braces. These are Oreo softening and maintaining dental hygiene.
Soften Your Oreos
It doesn’t matter how you do it, just get your Oreos into some milk!
You can dip them into a cup of milk, you can pour them into a bowl of milk, and you can swim with them in a pool of milk.
Just get them into some milk and only devour them once really soft.
Only that way do you reduce the amount of pressure their hard, original texture would inflict on your all-important braces.
Of course, you don’t want to soften them too much (which a swimming pool of milk might do, so it’s probably best to ignore that).
There is a fine line between soft and mushy. No one wants their Oreos mushy….at least, no one I know.
Maintain Excellent Hygiene
Once you have consumed your soft Oreos, the methods of precaution are not yet over.
You must tend to the possibility of bits of Oreos being stuck in your teeth. So, you must maintain excellent dental hygiene.
Brush your teeth half an hour after eating one of the world’s favourite cookies IN ITS SOFTER FORM.
Why half an hour?
Well, sugar makes your teeth soft, so you should give them some time to return to their natural condition.
If you’ve brushed your teeth and you can still feel some bits of Oreo knocking about up there, then you can use dental floss.
Do this by tying a knot in the floss and using this to dislodge the bits of Oreo until your braces are clear and safe to work their magic in fixing up your perfect smile.
Other Cookies You Can Eat With Braces
There are other cookies you can eat, some of which don’t require any softening at all. What you are looking for here is cookies that fall into the softer family. These are the ones that are safer to eat when wearing braces.
So softer cookies are on the agenda here.
As we’ve discussed today, hard cookies are a big no-no when you have braces for all sorts of reasons.
So, how do we get our hands on these softer cookies?
Well, there are plenty of recipes for baking cookies so that they intentionally come out softer for your braces.
These recipes often include adding more butter and milk and less sugar.
But if you’re not much of a baker, here are some cookies to look out for on the shelves in your search for soft, brace-friendly texture.
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Lofthouse Cookies
- Biscotti
- Grandma’s Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Teddy Grahams
- Trader Joe’s Mini Choc Chip Cookies
Finally
Hard Oreos should definitely be avoided as they pose a troubling threat to your dental health and the condition of your braces.
BUT that doesn’t mean you can’t eat them at all. You can enjoy an Oreo just as long as you…
…SOFTEN…
…and CLEAN!
Related Articles:
- Can You Eat Chocolate With Braces?
- What Candy Can You Eat With Braces?
- Can You Eat Kit Kats With Braces?
- Can You Eat M&Ms With Braces?
- Can You Eat Cotton Candy With Braces?
Hello, I’m Matthew, a candy expert and enthusiast with over a decade of experience in the candy industry. My passion for candy started at a very young age. Since then, I have worked in numerous, large candy stores, and have been fortunate enough to try out hundreds of brands of candies, different types and flavors. In addition to my work, I enjoy sharing my extensive knowledge with others, and decided to create Sugar Stand in order to do so. My mission is to make the world a sweeter place, one candy at a time.
