Halloween should be all about fun for everyone, even when you have braces. Anyone sporting orthodontics needs to take a few extra precautions because it is possible to be drawn in by the spooky tricks of certain festive candies and treats. Whether you wear brackets or Invisalign, your enjoyment of Halloween with braces doesn’t need to be interrupted because of brackets, wires, or aligners.
Choose Candy Wisely
Are you big on sticky sweet treats like gummy worms, taffy, bubble gum, licorice, or caramel-stuffed anything? Do you love to bite down on jawbreakers, candy apples, and other hard sweets? These favorite treats are off-limits this year for anyone undergoing orthodontic treatment with brackets and wires.
It might just be a small piece of something gooey or one or two bites of a hard candy, but that’s enough to pull off a bracket, dislodge an archwire, or even break a tooth. The last thing you want is to have an emergency orthodontist appointment the day after Halloween. Any broken parts of your treatment can lead to a serious setback and make the overall journey take longer than estimated.
If you must overindulge in sweets on October 31, your best choice across the board is chocolate – soft, melty chocolate free from nuts or chewy centers. This is the least problematic candy because it doesn’t stay on your teeth and is easily washed away with a glass of water.
Remove Aligners for Eating
Wearers of Invisalign or Invisalign Teen have more freedom than other orthodontic patients and no food restrictions. If your teeth aren’t feeling too sensitive from the gentle push and pull of the trays, go ahead and dig into your favorite goodies. Remember these things though:
- Take out Invisalign before all snacks or meals.
- Brush and floss teeth after eating and before putting Invisalign back in.
- Clean trays every time you remove them for a Halloween treat or meal.
- Don’t try to sneak a sweet with aligners in place. You could break, stain, or crack Invisalign trays.
Make Braces Part of the Costume
Conventional metal braces are on teeth around the clock until treatment is complete. Invisalign must be worn 20 to 22 hours a day, even on spooky holidays. If you don’t want orthodontics to get in the way on Halloween, blend them into your costume. Dress as a cartoon character that sports braces like Mike Wazowski in Monsters University, Sid the creepy neighbor kid in Toy Story, or Lisa from The Simpsons. Or be an orthodontist who has braces.
Just know that plenty of people are sporting their own orthodontia on Halloween too. Whether you want to draw attention to your teeth or keep people from looking too closely, your braces really won’t get in the way all that much. Halloween is only one night – straight teeth are forever. You can have a good time without threatening your treatment in the process.
If you have questions about a costume or dental accessory for October 31, contact Soleil Orthodontics in Woodinville, WA, for advice about keeping your braces intact on Halloween.
