Trick or treat! October is here and setting the mood for this year’s holiday season. Many of you are gearing up to prepare for Halloween as a night of fun and celebration. As exciting as the holidays can be, we understand that you may be a little nervous about navigating the holiday if you are undergoing orthodontic treatment. It can be hard to find that perfect balance between food restrictions and all the sweets of the season.
With patience, planning, and proper care you can enjoy Halloween without worrying about scheduling an emergency appointment. Follow the same food restrictions, cleaning rules, and you can eat all the sweets you want as long as you choose the right ones! To help you out, we’ve provided you with a handy Halloween survival guide.
Tricks to Avoid
Sticky and chewy candies are ones to avoid as they tend to stick to brackets, bands, and wires. Candies that are sticky, gummy, and chewy can also get stuck in your braces and prove difficult to remove with cleaning tugging on your orthodontics. In some cases, these candies have pulled parts off teeth.
- Starbursts, Skittles, Tootsie Rolls, any kind of taffy, Airheads, jellybeans, gummy bears
- Gum, caramel, candied/caramel apples, popcorn balls, licorice, candy corn
Hard and crunchy candies are just as bad, these candies can put a lot of pressure on your braces, enough to possible pop brackets off or snap wires. Candies containing nuts are also difficult sweets as they make it very hard to clean especially if they get wedged between your teeth and your appliances.
- Jawbreakers, Jolly Ranchers, butterscotch candies, lollipops, suckers
- Peanut brittle, Snickers, Almond Joy, Payday, Baby Ruth
Every time we need to repair or replace parts, it sets the orthodontic process back a step and this adds to your total time in treatment.
Treats to Choose
We know that seems like an extensive list and it seems like you might be on the sidelines, but trust us there are plenty of sweets out there to enjoy!
Soft sweets are safe as they don’t require a lot of chewing and often wash off your teeth fairly easy compared to other options.
- Soft chocolates such as Hershey bars and kisses
- Peanut butter cups, peppermint patties, Kit Kats, plain M&Ms, 3 Musketeers, Milkyways
- Cookies, cupcakes, cake, pie, gelatin sweets, ice cream, milkshakes, smoothies
Don’t forget!
With all the excitement on Halloween, it can be easy to skip a brushing session or two. However, you should take extra care during this time, even if the candy is orthodontist approved as the increased amount of sugar can still harm your teeth.
Good oral hygiene will prevent cavities from spoiling your Halloween night. Follow the same cleaning rules and care for your orthodontics. Brush twice a day, drink plenty of water to keep the sugars from sticking to your teeth, and don’t forget to floss before bed.
We hope this reassures you that you don’t have to miss out on any of the fun during Halloween. If you are still unsure, we encourage you to contact us at Hansen Orthodontics. We are always happy to assist in any questions or concerns you may have.
