Happy October! The weather is changing, the leaves are falling, and things are starting to get spooky, because Halloween is right around the corner! It’s also your orthodontist’s favorite time of year: National Orthodontic Health Month. To get in the spirit for both holidays, make sure you know the guidelines for safe eating after trick or treating with braces!
What Candy Is Safe?
You can certainly still enjoy treats (or tricks) this Halloween- the key is choosing soft candies that won’t damage your brackets! Some great options include:
· Hershey’s Chocolate bars (as long as they don’t have nuts!)
· Soft cookies
· Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
· York Peppermint Patties
· KitKat bars
· 3 Musketeers & similar soft bars
Any amount of candy in excess is a bad idea, but in moderation these should be okay for your braces (as long as you don’t forget to brush after)!
What Should I Avoid?
Any sticky, hard candies are probably a bad idea until you get your braces off. This can include things like:
· Caramels or Taffy
· Hard Candies (Jolly Ranchers, Tootsie Roll Pops)
· Bubblegum
· Popcorn
· Candy Corn
· Nuts
These should be avoided at all costs, because a broken bracket can mean an extra trip to the orthodontist and may cause discomfort.
Keep your braces BOOtiful this Halloween! While there are very few “true” orthodontic emergencies, we are available to help. If after hours, please dial 770.659.7268 and press 9 to page the on-call team member for assistance. Calls received after 7 PM will be returned the following morning after 7 AM. Visit BracesToday.com for more info.
