Teen Inspiration Navigating Braces With Dental Appliance

Having a teen with dental issues can be daunting at times — and truly inspirational most of the time. My daughter has been wearing braces with appliances for over a year, and we’ve learned a lot during this journey.

 

What They Don’t Tell You

One of the first instructions we received from the orthodontist, on the day the braces and appliance were first installed, was to give ibuprofen if she developed a fever.
What they didn’t tell us: if your child has an appliance that prevents their mouth from fully closing, you must use liquid ibuprofen.
We learned this the hard way — she choked trying to swallow a pill that got stuck on the appliance. It was terrifying, and could have been life-threatening.

 

Life with a Liquid-Only Diet

When a child’s mouth cannot close, chewing is physically impossible.
Solid foods are out entirely.
The diet must shift to liquids only — foods that:

• Fit through a straw
• Have no chunks
• Require no chewing at all

Easy out foods would be mashed potatoes, applesauce, and pudding. But those alone provide little nutritional value — and teens quickly grow weary of the same limited choices.
Smoothies and fresh juices became essential to giving my daughter the nutrients she needed to stay healthy, energized, and included in daily life.

 

Smoothies and Juicing: Our Lifeline

Homemade smoothies and juices became essential to keeping my daughter nourished and energized — providing the nutrients vital to her health. Not only could we control the ingredients, but we could also keep the meals interesting and fresh.

Some tips we learned:

• Blend a variety of fruits and vegetables for vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein.
• Add plant-based protein powder (like pea protein) to smoothies for extra staying power.
• Add powdered supplements to juices for a nutritional boost.

For smoothies, you can add protein powder such as pea protein to the mix for an extra boost.

For juicing, you can add powdered supplements after you’ve made the juice. These are the four that we use.

• MegaFood Daily Energy Booster Powder
• MegaFood Daily C-Protect Booster Powder
• MegaFood Daily Purify Booster Powder
• MegaFood Daily Turmeric Booster Powder

(Note: Always consult with your healthcare provider before adding supplements.)

Premade meal replacement shakes were a backup for busy days rushing to theater rehearsals — but we tried to rely on fresh options as much as possible.

 

Facing Frustrations — and Showing Compassion

Unfortunately, not everyone around her understood the seriousness of her situation.
Despite clear communication, some family members only offered her basic soft foods — without considering her real nutritional needs.
Even at the theater group — where parents were expected to provide snacks for all the kids as part of the group — she was forgotten.
Many times, I had to leave rehearsals to buy her something safe from a local smoothie shop, just so she could have something to eat.
When my daughter needed just a little extra thoughtfulness, it was often wasn’t there.
Having no choice about how she ate was frustrating enough for her.
Trying to explain it to others — even to family and friends — was even harder.
Comments like, “She chooses not to eat?” were not only hurtful, but completely wrong.
She physically could not chew — it wasn’t a choice.
If you know someone facing this situation, be kind:

• Remember that dental issues are just as real as food allergies.
• Be mindful when planning snacks for rehearsals, team practices, or group events.
• Don’t just consider peanut allergies, gluten intolerance, or dairy sensitivities — also remember those with dental challenges.

Small acts of consideration can mean the world to a teen already navigating difficult circumstances. And how it makes the child feel when you don’t remember – that’s just rude.

 

A Parent’s Role

As a parent, I learned that support means everything.
Eating with your child — sharing smoothies, juices, and liquid meals — turns an isolating experience into a team effort.
Normalizing the changes helped my daughter face her situation with resilience and grace.
It is not something to be embarrassed by — it is something to be proud of.

 

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This is my Day 6 of 31 Days of Juicing. It is part of the #write31days challenge. To read all the posts, come back to the first page where I’ll link up after I’ve posted.