Don’t Let Halloween Play Tricks on Your Braces

Do you like tricks or treats for Halloween? If your answer is treats, we are here to help you keep your orthodontic treatment as quick, comfortable, and enjoyable as possible while celebrating. One of the best parts about Halloween is all of the delicious treats that are available. Sometimes, it is difficult to remember which treats are helpful and which treats can be harmful to your braces. We are here to share which are treats and which are tricks.

Tricks to Watch Out For

There are a number of sweets that can wreak havoc with braces, causing broken wires and brackets, as well as tooth decay. While we all love a sweet treat every now and then, when wearing braces, it is important to remember there are some candies that will just cause a nightmare for your mouth. Hard candies, caramels, chewy candies, jelly beans, bubble gum, and sour candies are a few choices that should be avoided. Anything chewy can get stuck in the arch wires and can cause them to break. Even if you avoid breakage the first time, additional exposure can cause breakage or lead the brackets to shift, so it’s best to avoid altogether. Sour candy is highly acidic, which can wear down the enamel that protects the teeth and therefore cause decay and cavities. 

Friendly Treats For Braces

While eating candy and sugary treats is never ideal with braces, there are a number of safe options that can keep you on the right track to straight teeth in no time. The best candy for your braces would be anything made with chocolate or something that can easily melt in your mouth. A sweet treat like ice cream, a smoothie, a milkshake, cake, or a cookie might be a better option if you are looking to avoid candy. After eating or drinking something sugary, it would be ideal to have water to drink to wash away the sugar if brushing isn’t an immediate option.

Additional Tips

While we know that sometimes it is unavoidable to eat sweet treats during this Halloween season, there are a few additional measures you can take to avoid damage to your braces. We encourage you to brush and floss between teeth immediately after eating candy. Don’t forget to brush around the brackets and at the gumline as well. If you can’t brush right away, “swishing” water around your mouth is a great short-term solution. Remember that even “good” candy and treats can cause cavities.

We hope that you have a fun and safe Halloween. If you have any questions or need any assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Southfield office today, and one of our team members will be happy to assist you.