Totally agree about the sneaky grains—rice was my nemesis after getting braces tightened. I thought it would be soft enough, but nope, spent ages trying to fish out those tiny bits stuck everywhere. Lesson learned the hard way.
Have you tried mashed sweet potatoes yet? They're super comforting, easy to swallow, and you can season them however you like—sweet with a bit of cinnamon and butter, or savory with garlic and herbs. Plus, they're filling enough to keep hunger at bay without irritating your mouth.
Also, oatmeal was a lifesaver for me. Cooked really soft with milk or almond milk, maybe a spoonful of honey or maple syrup stirred in...it felt soothing and kept me full for hours. Just avoid adding nuts or seeds until you're healed up—they're sneaky little troublemakers too.
And yeah, smoothies are great, but have you considered frozen yogurt or even ice cream? I know it's not exactly health food, but when your mouth feels like it's been through a blender itself, sometimes comfort wins out. Just stick to flavors without chunky mix-ins (sorry cookie dough fans).
The saltwater rinse is spot-on advice. My orthodontist recommended it too, and it really did help speed things along. Just don't overdo it—once or twice a day is plenty.
Hang in there—it really does get easier faster than you'd think. Before long you'll be back to eating crunchy tacos and popcorn again without a second thought. Until then, enjoy the excuse to indulge in all things soft and creamy...silver linings, right?
"Have you tried mashed sweet potatoes yet?"
Yep, mashed sweet potatoes saved me big time. Also, scrambled eggs were my go-to—super soft and quick to whip up. Wish I'd known about rice beforehand though...spent forever regretting that choice, lol.
Mashed sweet potatoes were decent for me too, but honestly, oatmeal was my lifesaver. I remember trying pasta once—big mistake. Spent half an hour carefully untangling noodles from brackets...lesson learned the hard way, haha.
Haha, pasta was a no-go for me too... total nightmare. I found smoothies really helpful though—easy to sip, nutritious, and you can mix in protein powder or peanut butter to keep you full longer. Also, scrambled eggs were surprisingly manageable if cooked soft enough. Hang in there, it gets easier!
"scrambled eggs were surprisingly manageable if cooked soft enough."
Totally agree about the eggs—lifesaver for me too. Another thing I found helpful was mashed sweet potatoes with a bit of butter or sour cream mixed in. Sounds weird, but it was actually pretty tasty and didn't irritate my mouth at all. Also, yogurt with honey became my go-to snack. Easy on the gums and felt soothing somehow. Hang tight, you'll be back to crunchy snacks and chewy pasta before you know it...though maybe pasta trauma is real, haha.
