Halloween is almost upon us! And, as exciting as it is to work on your costumes and plan out your trick-or-treating plans, you may also be feeling a little anxious about navigating this particular holiday if you have a child in braces.
Halloween, with its myriad of sweet treats and candies, can be a source of anxiety for parents who aren’t sure how to find a balance between the food restrictions that come with braces and all the sweet temptations of the season.
The good news is, children in braces can enjoy plenty of goodies without worrying about broken brackets, bent wires, and emergency appointments with the dentist. While there are definitely some candies and other Halloween treats they should stay away from, that doesn’t mean they have to watch from the sidelines as other children dig into their Halloween treasures.
October is also National Orthodontic Health Month, a perfect time to remind parents and our patients with braces what candies and treats they can indulge in and which ones to stay away from to keep their braces safe and smiles healthy during Halloween.
Here’s a simple guide for surviving Halloween with braces.
Candies to Avoid
Because so many candies are handed out during Halloween, some people don’t think of the chewy candies that could cause issues with some children. Chewy candies stick to brackets, bands, and wires, and can even end up pulling parts off. Not just that, but if your child’s teeth are tender from having braces put on or adjusted, chewy, sticky treats can also be painful to chew, leading to a sore or aching mouth, or worse.
Hard, crunchy candies aren’t really much better because they put stress and pressure on braces, which can lead to broken brackets or bands that have to be fixed or replaced and delays the positive orthodontic process.
So, to stay on your child’s treatment plan, avoid the following:
- Caramel
- Bubblegum
- Hard candy
- Taffy
- Licorice
- Nuts
- Jelly beans
- Candy corn
- Popcorn and caramel corn
- Chewy candy
- Candy and caramel apples
Yes, it’s a long list, but there are still plenty of sweet treats that are safe for your child.
Braces-Friendly Candies
When it comes to braces-friendly sweets, anything with soft chocolate is usually a good choice, which includes several classic candies, including:
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Kit Kats
- Plain M&M’s
- Reese’s Pieces
- 3 Musketeers
- Oreos
- Hershey Bars
- Hershey’s Kisses
Any type of chocolate candy bar will generally be a safe choice, as long as it doesn’t contain any chewy caramel or hard nuts. Remember, that biting into bigger candy bars can potentially damage the braces on the front teeth, so breaking large candy bars into smaller pieces is recommended. Luckily, Halloween is full of mini-sized bars, which will lessen your worries and keep your child’s braces safe!
Happy Halloween!