Trick or Treat: What candies are safe to eat with braces?

With the beginning of fall means Halloween is right around the corner. It’s time to indulge and consume as much candy as possible to satisfy that sweet tooth, but first let’s make sure that you’re being safe!

How is Halloween different with braces? You can still eat candy but it is important to check and make sure the candy you are eating are braces friendly. Anything that is sticky, chewy, hard, or crunchy are candies to avoid and can make brackets pop off or bend the wire. That can increase the time you’re in braces and is not ideal for your treatment. Candies like Starbursts, caramels, Tootsie Rolls, gummies, or toffees are a big NO for braces. Hard candies like Jolly Ranchers or lollipops are OKAY if you make sure you don’t bite into or chew on them.

What can you eat? Here is a list of safe sweets to eat on Halloween with braces:

• Hershey bars or kisses

• Reese's Peanut Butter cups

• Kit Kats

• Peppermint patties

• Twix

• 3 Musketeers

• Milky way

• Cookies and brownies

• Ice cream

• Sugar-free gum

At VCO Orthodontics in Arlington, we want you to enjoy your Halloween night with braces and don’t forget to brush your teeth! The most important thing is to make sure to brush and floss before going to bed to help avoid cavities and plaque buildup. There shouldn’t be anything scary in your mouth! It is unhealthy to have all the traces of sugar sitting on your teeth, so don’t forget to keep up good oral hygiene even on your sugar-high!