HALLOWEEN CANDY: WHICH TREATS ARE SAFE FOR BRACES?

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With Halloween quickly approaching, we want to remind our patients to be cautious when choosing candy and treats on trick-or-treat night or at Halloween parties! We encourage our patients to stay away from sticky sweets because it could damage your braces, and we would hate to see patients return from Halloween with missing brackets and wires. To ensure that your braces stay on and intact for the shortest time possible, we highly encourage avoiding these candies and sweets:

  1. Gum
  2. Taffy
  3. Hard candy (jaw breakers, Jolly Ranchers)
  4. Sticky candy (caramels, Sugar Daddies, Starbursts, caramel apples, Tootsie Rolls)
  5. Popcorn
  6. Nuts

Hard and sticky candies can take a huge toll on your braces because of the additional force to the brackets and bands, as well as your teeth. If there is too much pressure, the bracket is at risk of breaking off. But don’t worry! There are still plenty of candies and Halloween treats you can enjoy. Here are our top 10 recommendations for super safe and sweet eating:

  1. Soft chocolates like Hershey’s Kisses, Reese’s Cups and Hershey’s Bars
  2. Pudding or Jell-O
  3. Ice cream
  4. Cake
  5. Doughnuts
  6. Cookies
  7. Pie
  8. Cereal
  9. Cotton Candy
  10. Candy Corn

We highly advise our patients who plan on eating Halloween treats to brush their teeth thoroughly afterward. This allows braces and teeth to stay healthy and clean and will keep you on the right track toward completing your smile journey! Brushing your teeth also helps to clear away lingering sugars that create cavities. Once your braces are removed, you will be left with a beautiful smile to last a lifetime. So giving up sticky and hard candies for the holiday will be well worth it in the end!