Risotto xoxo, all-day breakfast frittata and slip down slurp down pasta – these are just three of the recipes featured in a new recipe booklet for anyone undergoing orthodontic treatment.
After braces have been fitted for the first time, or after subsequent appointments when wires on orthodontic appliances are tightened, teeth and gums can become tender and it can be tricky to eat some foods.
Orthodontists also recommend steering clear of certain foods which are likely to damage braces; so hard crusts on French bread or pizza become out of bounds, as are crunchy raw carrots and apples. Other foods to avoid are those which are likely to stick to the teeth and brackets such as toffees or food and drinks likely to stain the teeth.
However instead of looking at this negatively, the British Orthodontic Society challenged members of the public to come up with a range of delicious and nutritious brace friendly recipes in a competition run during National Orthodontic Week (NOW) in February.
The winning entries have been compiled into a recipe booklet which can be viewed on its NOW website www.nowsmile.org and downloaded for free.
The booklet features 22 mouth-caring recipes and is helpfully split into sections; breakfasts, starters, main courses and desserts.
Most of the entries show how food can be adapted so that it suits the whole family rather than having to create special meals just for a new brace wearer.
Some entries are also peppered with anecdotes about how the recipe was developed to help a family member when they first had their brace fitted.
The NOW website also features a large amount of very useful information for brace wearers and those looking for more information before embarking on orthodontic treatment; including free downloadable information leaflets created by a team of orthodontic experts at the British Orthodontic Society.
There are also some heart warming case studies, a film about orthodontic treatment, a gallery of before and after pictures and direct access to a searchable database to help people find orthodontic treatment in their area. For all this and more visit www.nowsmile.org.
