
Encourage lots of fruits and vegetables along with meat, healthy whole grains, and dairy. These foods will be the easiest for your child to eat with an expander and most beneficial to their growing bodies. Chewy or sticky candy like chewing gum, taffy, licorice, and caramels should be avoided.
What foods can you eat with an expander?
Additionally, you may also include fun meals like ice cream, yogurt, and pudding. These foods will be the most convenient for you to eat with an expander while also keeping the nutrients to your developing bodies. 5. Caring after each meals Eventually, food will become stuck on and beneath your expander.
How to help your child’s expander grow?
Instead, opt for softer snacks and try satisfying your child’s sweet tooth with fruit or softer desserts like ice cream. While healthy foods are always encouraged, even foods like apples, celery, and carrots could pose a problem to your child’s expander if not eaten properly.
What foods should you avoid with a palate expander for toddlers?
Hard and crunchy foods like popcorn, nuts, and ice are also not recommended with a palate expander. Instead, opt for softer snacks and try satisfying your child’s sweet tooth with fruit or softer desserts like ice cream.
What can my child eat after getting braces?
Getting braces doesn’t hurt, but your child’s mouth will probably be sensitive for a few days to a week following their appointment. Your child will likely have to learn how to chew differently, and so eating softer foods at first can help them adjust. These are some ideas of foods to eat after getting braces: mashed potatoes yogurt soups

Can you eat normally with an expander?
The cement used to attach expanders to your teeth cures rapidly, but takes several hours to cure completely. You can eat any time after leaving the office.
How do you eat with a mouth expander?
Avoid Sticky and Hard Foods Hard and crunchy foods like popcorn, nuts, and ice are also not recommended with a palate expander. Instead, opt for softer snacks and try satisfying your child's sweet tooth with fruit or softer desserts like ice cream.
How long does it take to eat normally with an expander?
At first, eating will be more difficult; take small bites & eat soft foods until this is overcome (usually a few days to a week). After that, you should be able to eat almost everything you did before with some exceptions (see No-No Food List). You will notice several things as the expander does its job.
What can you not eat with expanders?
Sticky and chewy foods can get caught between brackets and wires, cling to expander plastic and bands, and pull appliances off. All HARD, STICKY, CHEWY, and CRUNCHY foods can weaken the bond strength of the glue or cement for any appliance glued in your mouth.
What candies can you eat with an expander?
Candies you can eat with bracesChocolate (without caramel or nuts)Peanut butter cups.KitKats.3 Musketeers.Marshmallows.Cookies.
Can you eat pizza with a palate expander?
The pizza part is ok. HARD PRETZELS, HARD ROLLS, BAGELS: They bend wires and break brackets. DORITOS, HARD TACOS, CHEETOS and the LIKE: They are too crunchy! APPLES: Slices are okay, just don't bite directly into the whole apple.
Can you eat ice cream with an expander?
Hard and crunchy foods like popcorn, nuts, and ice are also not recommended with a palate expander. Instead, opt for softer snacks and try satisfying your child's sweet tooth with fruit or softer desserts like ice cream.
How can I help my child with an expander?
Your mouth needs to be clear of any food stick to the expander. Therefore avoid hard, sticky, or chewy food for your kids. Please encourage them to brush more properly and for a longer time. Take full advantage of your kid's growing age.
How can I make it easier to eat with an expander?
Avoid Sticky and Hard Foods Hard and crunchy foods like popcorn, nuts, and ice are also not recommended with a palate expander. Instead, opt for softer snacks and try satisfying your child's sweet tooth with fruit or softer desserts like ice cream.
How do you survive an expander?
Stick to liquids and very soft foods in the beginning. Be sure to chew your food thoroughly or cut it up into small bites. It's easy to choke sometimes with the expander in. Also avoid all hard/chewy foods for right now.
Can you chew gum with a palate expander?
Patients and parents often ask about which gum to chew and if it's safe to chew gum with a palate expander or braces. Patients should not chew gum while they have their expander, but patients with traditional braces can chew gum if it is on the ADA (American Dental Association) approved list of sugar-free gums.
How do you deal with a palate expander?
Comfort Tips For Your Palatal ExpanderEat Soft Foods. For the duration of your palatal expander treatment, it's best you stick to just liquids and soft foods to avoid any painful chewing or damage to the expander. ... Keep a Napkin Handy. ... Take Medication. ... Use Ice. ... Don't Forget To Floss. ... Schedule an Appointment.