Halloween is a holiday all about enjoying sweet treats! But if you have braces or are getting them soon, you probably know that there are some sweets that you should avoid while wearing braces. Some common candies we like to enjoy on Halloween might damage braces and set orthodontic treatment back. So before you sink your teeth into sour, sticky, or crunchy candy this Halloween, take a look at this list of candy that you shouldn’t be tricked into eating and treats that are ok to enjoy with braces.
Why Avoid Certain Candies?
First, let’s talk about why we recommend staying away from certain candies. Any candy your orthodontist recommends staying away from is to help you complete your treatment plan on time, and avoid inconvenient emergency visits to your orthodontist’s office. Crunchy, sticky, and sour candies can all cause different problems for your teeth during your scheduled treatment.
Crunchy candies like jolly ranchers can shear the bracket off of your tooth. Sticky candies, like caramels, can get stuck in the brackets and cause them to loosen/break via pulling forces. A broken bracket can set your treatment back past its expected completion. On average, one broken bracket equals one extra month in braces. Brackets hold the wires into place and help guide your teeth. Without them, your teeth will not be able to reach their correct alignment.
Sour candies are usually very acidic. The acid from Skittles, Starbursts, Gummi Worms, etc. create an environment in your mouth where cavity causing bacteria thrive! This acid environment can cause the enamel on your teeth to decalcify and wear down. Enamel is the outer layer of tooth structure that protects our teeth from damage, and allow our teeth to be esthetically pleasing. Compromised enamel will not look good and can lead to a greater risk for cavities which will require fillings/repair from your dentist.
Don’t Get Tricked Into Eating These Candies:
To get the best results from your braces treatment plan, your friends at Reagin Orthodontics recommend staying away from these candies:
- Chewy Candy
- Gummi Worms
- Sweet Tart Ropes
- Starbursts
- Jellybeans
- Red Vines
- Licorice
- Twizzlers
- Suckers/ Lollipops
- Ring Pops
- Tootsie Pops
- Dum Dums
- Sour Candy
- Sour Skittles
- Trolli Sour Worms
- Nuts
- Almond Joy
- Crunch
- Peanut M&M’s
- Hard Candies
- Lifesavers
- Jolly Ranchers
- Werthers Original
- Lemonheads
- WarHeads
- Caramels
- Laffy Taffy
- Tootsie Rolls
- Skittles
- Peanut M&Ms
Why Are Certain Candies OK To Eat?
Candy is not always a bad thing when you have braces. Soft or low sugar candies offer safe, delicious options for people with braces because they will not cause damage to braces or tooth enamel.
Soft candy like Hershey’s Kisses and Peppermint Patties don’t have any pieces that could fracture off and break brackets or wires. Keeping your brackets in place helps us line your teeth up faster, so soft candy is the way to go to make sure that your treatment goes according to plan.
Candies that are low in sugar will be less likely to cause tooth decay or damage enamel. Eating candy that is low sugar and by brushing regularly will help prevent cavities.
Treat Yourself To These Candies Instead:
These candies are great choices to enjoy this Halloween without risking any damage to your braces or any delays in treatment.
- ChocolateHershey’s Kisses
- Dove Chocolate
- Snow Caps
- Soft Candy Bars
- KitKats
- 3 Musketeers
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Mint Candies
- Peppermint Patties
- York Peppermint Patties
- Soft Sugar Free Gum
Hershey’s KissesWhen in doubt, ask yourself if eating this candy might get something stuck in your braces or loosen a bracket. If the answer is yes, wait to eat that candy until you’re done with your treatment.
We also recommend that you brush and floss between teeth after eating candy. When you brush, make sure you pay special attention to your gums and the area around your brackets. It can also help to swish water or mouthwash around your mouth to help remove any remaining bits of candy. Water piks are also very helpful with removing plaque and food when you have braces.
Other Desserts You Can Enjoy
If you’d like to enjoy some other desserts for Halloween, you can enjoy most other baked goods and ice creams as long as there are no hard, sticky, or sour parts. Try celebrating this year with:
- Jell-O
- Ice Cream
- Smoothies
- Soft Cookies
- Cake
- Cupcakes
- Sliced Apples (You won’t be able to bite into any candied or caramel apples, but you can dip small pieces of apples into peanut butter).
If you have any questions about the candies or other foods that you can enjoy with your braces, ask your orthodontist! Our friendly team at Reagin is always happy to help answer any of your questions. You can give our friendly team a call at (843) 871-4411 or email us at scheduling@drorthodontics.com with any questions. We hope you have a very happy and healthy Halloween!