The Trick About Treats: How To Enjoy Halloween With Braces

For many of us, Halloween is a frightfully fun excuse to dress up in costumes and eat lots of candy. If you are currently in braces, Crossley Orthodontics has some helpful hints about which treats to avoid with braces, and which treats are a better option for you.

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AVOID:

CHEWY CANDIES
Chewy candy can break or bend your braces… Starburst, Skittles, Airheads, jelly beans, Tootsie Rolls, gumdrops, and Laffy Taffy fit into this category.

CARAMEL
Caramel will get stuck in your braces and can tear brackets off your teeth… Hard and soft caramels, Werther's Originals, Sugar Babies, Snickers, Twix, Heath and Skor fit into this category.

HARD CANDIES
Hard candies can break off your brackets if you chew on them. They can also bend wires and stain elastics... Jawbreakers, Life Savers, Jolly Ranchers, butterscotch candies and any other hard candy you can think of fit into this category.

LICORICE
Licorice is bad for braces because it can also break your brackets and bend your wires. It also gets stuck in teeth easily, and stain your elastics... Red Vines, Twizzlers, and Good & Plenty fit into this category.

Nuts
Nuts can break a band or bracket if you bite into them the wrong way, so we recommend that you skip treats containing them ... Almond Joy, Snickers, Hershey’s with Almonds, Baby Ruth, Payday, and other nutty candies fit into this category.

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ENJOY:

Chocolate
Soft chocolate candy is the safest bet for your braces. Some examples include Kisses, peanut butter cups, Hershey bars, Dove Chocolate, York Patties, Junior Mints, Kit Kat, and Milky Way Bars

Cookies
Soft cookies taste delicious and they are safer for your braces!

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KEEP IN MIND

Eating too much sugar while wearing braces can cause tooth decay. Braces create more nooks and crannies in your mouth where bacteria can thrive. It's difficult to clean behind brackets and wires, so it's crucial to practice great oral hygiene. During candy season, brush your teeth and use flossers right after eating sugary treats. Your smile will thank you for it!