It can be hard to tell which candies to avoid on your first Halloween with braces. Don’t worry, Next Level Orthodontics has made a list of orthodontist approved candy for this Halloween! We know the excitement of opening up your goodie bag after your full night’s hard work, but it’s very important to be mindful of what you eat, as it can potentially delay your orthodontic treatment. As much as we’d love for our patients to stay with us forever, we want to get you brace-free as soon as possible too!
There is a reason you should avoid certain candy
Before we dive into the dos and don’ts of candy, we want to explain the importance of why certain candy can be harmful to your braces. Braces are held to your teeth with a very specific type of glue that is strong enough to not break off brackets when you eat normal foods, but when a stronger force is applied to the brackets, they are made to break. If the glue were to be any stronger, it could risk hurting your enamel (the outer layer of your tooth surface), so after about 300 years of perfecting the art of braces, they got the glue consistency just right. With this being said, the braces will do their part in moving your teeth in a safe manner, as long as you take care of them as well. Eating very chewy foods, such as Laffy Taffy can put you at risk of broken brackets. And the more broken brackets you have, the longer you can be in your braces! Remember, your orthodontic treatment will not last forever, so if you can be mindful for Halloween that you do have braces, we can help you stay on track with your braces, and you can be in your retainers in no time!
Enjoy the holiday
Dr. Ashley Smith and his team want to wish you the happiest Halloween, and we would like you to know that Halloween is meant to be FUN, and safe! As long as you take care of your braces, this will ensure your treatment can stay on track and you will be able to eat ALL the candy you want once you are in your retainers! With this being said, check out the list we created to give you a better idea of what candies and goodies should be avoided, and which ones are Dr. Ashley Smith approved!
We recommend you stay away from very sticky and chew candies such as:
- Laffy Taffy
- Caramels
- Licorice
- Jelly Beans
- Sugar Gum (Sugar-free gum is okay!)
You should also try to avoid any snacks or candy that are hard to crunchy, including:
- Nuts
- Jaw Breakers
- Lollipops (These will be okay as long as you don’t bite into them!)
Don’t get us wrong though, there are still many awesome snacks and candies you CAN eat while in braces:
- Soft Chocolate
- Peanut Butter Cups
- Kit Kats
- 3 Musketeers
- Marshmallows
- Cookies
- Peppermint Patties
- Ice Cream
- Milkshakes
You know what is as fun as opening up that candy bag at the end of Halloween night? Requesting a free consultation with Dr. Ashley Smith! Click here to take the first step to your dream smile!
