“Halloween is just one day. It can’t be that bad to have some candy.” Comments like these from people who wear braces often precede November 1 trips to the orthodontist for repairs to brackets and wires. Some sweets are fine if you avoid certain temptations that could damage hardware. October 31, though, can dismantle even the strongest willpower and make teens and adults alike tempt fate and the condition of their orthodontics.
Off-Limits Halloween Candy for People with Braces
There are some Halloween treats that are off-limits and likely to wreak havoc on the carefully arranged hardware for people who wear braces. (Anyone who wears Invisalign can usually indulge safely if they remove their aligners first.)
- Gum. There is no free pass for gum just because it’s Halloween. This is one of the worst things you can indulge in at any time.
- Hard candy. Hard candy bathes teeth and braces in sugar and could break a tooth or bracket if you bite down. A double whammy is bubble-gum-filled lollipops.
- Chewy treats. From taffy to licorice to caramel, a chewy Halloween candy can be disastrous. It pulls on wires, elastics, and brackets and moves them out of place or removes them entirely
- Candy apples. They might technically be composed of fruit but it’s that crystal candy shell that makes candy apples so dangerous to braces.
Indulge Safely in One Candy on Halloween
Orthodontists prefer that patients avoid most Halloween candy for the good of their braces, but they are also realistic that this is a holiday that’s hard to ignore. Chocolate is the sweetest sweet to eat when because it melts quickly and does not linger on teeth and hardware.
A soft chocolate bar or other plain chocolate treat is the safest indulgence for anyone with braces. Just make sure your indulgence is free of nuts, caramel, and anything hard or chewy that will threaten the stability of brackets and wires.
Tricks to Avoid Halloween Candy Temptations
If you wish you or your kids could avoid all the candy on Halloween, the best way to support everyone’s willpower and care for braces is to observe these tricks:
- Fill your stomach with other foods. You won’t find yourself grazing in the candy bowl if you’ve had large meals on Halloween and increased protein consumption. If your belly is full, candy won’t be a temptation.
- Eat your candy in one sitting. On the flip side of filling up on healthy foods, consider going overboard on safe-for-braces Halloween candy in one sitting. Your appetite will be more than satisfied and you won’t want to see one more piece of candy again.
- Move the focus away from candy. Deliver on a standout costume instead of collecting sweets – maybe a candy- or dental-themed costume that lets the wearer flash their braces proudly. Encourage your braces-wearing tween or teen to hunt for houses that give out non-candy treats for a scavenger hunt that’s just as entertaining as trick-or-treating for candy.
Get Support from Your Woodinville Orthodontist
If you find yourself with an orthodontic emergency after Halloween or have questions about protecting your child’s braces during the holiday, contact Soleil Orthodontics in Woodinville, WA, for answers and help. Happy haunting!
