The foods you can eat will be limited at first. However, there are a few strategies to success. Stick to foods that are soft, fluffy and easily mashed up. Pancakes, oatmeal, bananas, soups, cooked vegetables, applesauce, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and soft ice cream are great options. Stay away from foods that are hard, crunchy, sticky or tough.

Foods to avoid

• Chewy foods: Bagels, hard rolls, licorice . . .
• Crunchy foods: Popcorn, ice, chips . . .
• Sticky foods: Caramels, gum . . .
• Hard foods: Nuts, candy . . .
• Foods you have to bite into: Corn on the cob, apples, carrots . . .
• Hard objects: Chewing on pens, pencils or fingernails can damage the braces, resulting in an extended treatment period.

There are a few tricks around some problem foods. For instance, you can cook vegetables to make them softer, cut corn off the cob, and slice apples and sandwiches into bite-size pieces.

If you’re in doubt about a particular food, just ask Dr. Walker or her team. They’re more than happy to answer your questions.