Halloween is an exciting time of year filled with costumes, parties, and of course, candy! While it’s fun to indulge in Halloween treats, if you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment, especially with braces or clear aligners, it’s essential to be mindful of how Halloween candy and braces interact. Eating the wrong types of candy can cause damage to your braces, prolong your treatment time, and even lead to oral health issues.
In this blog, we’ll dive into how Halloween candy and braces can affect your orthodontic treatment, tips for enjoying the holiday safely, and what types of candy to avoid or enjoy in moderation while keeping your braces and aligners safe.
How Do Halloween Candies Affect Orthodontic Treatment?
1. Hard Candy and Braces Don’t Mix
Hard candies like lollipops, jawbreakers, and candy-coated chocolates might be delicious, but they pose a serious risk to your braces. Biting down on hard candy can lead to broken brackets or bent wires, which can delay your orthodontic treatment by requiring repairs. Even if you resist biting down, sucking on hard candy for long periods can expose your teeth to sugars that increase the risk of cavities.
Tip: If you crave something sweet, opt for softer, brace-friendly treats that won’t damage your hardware.
2. Sticky Sweets Can Cause Real Problems
Sticky candies like caramel, toffee, taffy, and gummy bears are some of the worst offenders for anyone with braces. These candies can easily get stuck in brackets and wires, making it difficult to clean them out and leading to plaque buildup. The stickiness can also pull on your braces, potentially dislodging them or causing discomfort.
For those wearing clear aligners like Invisalign, sticky sweets can adhere to your teeth and aligners, leading to potential stains and a more challenging cleaning process.You hopefully you remember you should not be eating anything with aligners in.
Tip: Avoid sticky candies altogether. They aren’t worth the trouble they cause for your orthodontic treatment or Halloween candy and braces problems.
3. Chewy Candy is Danger for Your Orthodontic Appliances
Chewy candies such as licorice, gummy candies, and even fruit chews are risky for those with braces or retainers. The constant chewing required for these candies can lead to stuck candy between your teeth and brackets, making them tough to remove. Chewy candies can also cause teeth to shift out of position or break parts of your braces.
Tip: Swap chewy candy for something less likely to cling to your teeth, like chocolate or soft, non-sticky treats, reducing the risks posed by Halloween candy and braces
4. Acidic and Sour Candies Are Harmful to Enamel
Sour candies are particularly damaging to your teeth. These candies often contain high levels of citric acid, which can erode tooth enamel and increase the risk of cavities. For those with braces, your teeth are already undergoing changes, and enamel erosion can exacerbate sensitivity and lead to decay around the brackets. If you have areas of white spot lesions developing around the braces from plaque accumulation, those areas are particularly prone to decay from erosion.
If you’re wearing clear aligners, the acid from sour candies can become trapped beneath your aligners, causing even more damage to the enamel over time.
Tip: Skip the sour candies, and instead, indulge in something lower in acid to protect your teeth and orthodontic progress, particularly with Halloween candy and braces.
5. Chocolate: Your Best Friend This Halloween
Chocolate is generally a safer option for people with braces or clear aligners, as long as it doesn’t have any nuts or sticky fillings like caramel. Soft chocolate melts easily in your mouth, reducing the risk of damage to your orthodontic appliances. Plain milk or dark chocolate is your best bet, but avoid varieties that contain crunchy or chewy additions.
Tip : Enjoy chocolate in moderation and always remember to brush afterward to remove any sugar residue from your braces.
How Candy Impacts Your Oral Health During Orthodontic Treatment
Even if you’re careful with your candy choices, sugar can still have a negative impact on your oral health while undergoing orthodontic treatment. With braces, food particles and sugar can easily get trapped in the wires and brackets, leading to plaque buildup, tooth decay, and gum disease if not properly cleaned. Halloween candy and braces can be tricky, but with proper care, you can avoid setbacks.
The same goes for clear aligners. When sugary substances get trapped beneath aligners, it creates a breeding ground for bacteria, which can cause cavities, bad breath, and other oral health issues.
Best Practices for Halloween with Orthodontics
What to do if a bracket breaks or wire pokes during halloween ? How can I manage this at home?
If a bracket breaks due to a eating a candy during Halloween, this is what you can do to help yourself and avoid more problems.
1- If the bracket is broke but is attached to the wire , take a piece of wax and secure it gently your tooth. The bracket will stay in place . Avoid that tooth or side to chew on so it doesn’t get dislodged again. You may need to replace the wax a few times during the day .
2- If the bracket is broken and dislodged from the wire , save the bracket in a zip lock bag. Make sure wire is still secure and taut with other teeth . Call our office , we will get you in to put the bracket back on. You want to avoid pulling out the wire for whatever reason.
3- If wire comes out from the last tooth and is poking in your cheek.
- You may try to reinsert the wire in the tube bracket carefully. You may use a locking tweezers to help you bend the wire to allow it to be engaged back again.
- If you are unable to reinsert it back, you may use wax ball at the tip of the wire which will make that smooth and it will not poke in the cheek.
- If none of these work – you may clip the end of the wire a little bit to prevent poking , but you must do this carefully as if you try to pull the wire to clip it , its force can break a bracket that is in front of it . You want to clip behind the last engaged bracket .
4- If a bracket breaks and you accidentally swallow it. Not to worry in most cases it will pass through the stools. However, if you experience any kind of unexplained stomach ache then there is a slight possibility it is stuck somewhere in the GI track and you may need to go see your pcp or get an X-ray to see if it is lodged somewhere and needs other solutions to get it out.
Chances of aspiration from a bracelet are low, if that happens – you may find yourself coughing vigorously to try to get it out. In worst case scenario – you may go to your pcp and get an x-ray to check if it is not lodged anywhere inside your body.
5- With all of these certainly keep us informed. If you have any doubts you may email us a picture and we would guide you of the options that would be best until we have availability in the schedule to see you in office.
Here’s how you can enjoy Halloween while keeping your braces or aligners safe:
1. Brush and Floss Regularly
After enjoying Halloween treats, make sure to brush your teeth thoroughly, especially around the brackets and wires. Flossing is essential to remove any candy stuck between your teeth and braces. If you wear aligners, brush your teeth before putting them back in after indulging in candy to prevent sugar from being trapped.
2. Carry a Travel Toothbrush
If you’re out trick-or-treating or at a Halloween party, bring a travel-sized toothbrush to clean your teeth after eating candy. This small step can help protect your braces and keep your teeth clean throughout the night.
3. Use Fluoride Mouthwash
To protect your teeth from the acids and sugars in Halloween candy, consider using a fluoride mouthwash after brushing. This can help strengthen your enamel and wash away any leftover particles that might be lingering in hard-to-reach areas of your braces.
4. Drink Water
Water helps wash away sugars and acids from your mouth, reducing the risk of cavities and keeping your mouth hydrated. Drinking water also helps to clean your braces and reduce the chance of candy getting stuck.
5. Schedule a Post-Halloween Checkup
After Halloween, it’s a good idea to schedule an orthodontic checkup. Your orthodontist can assess any potential damage to your braces and make sure your teeth are in good shape after indulging in Halloween sweets. It’s especially crucial to follow this step when Halloween candy and braces are involved.
Conclusion: Enjoy Halloween Responsibly
Halloween is a fun holiday, but it’s essential to be cautious about the types of candy you eat when you have braces or aligners. By avoiding hard, sticky, and chewy candies, you can protect your orthodontic appliances and keep your treatment on track. Remember to practice good oral hygiene, stay hydrated, and consider healthier alternatives or softer candy options.
At Art of Smile Philadelphia, our orthodontists want you to enjoy your Halloween celebrations while keeping your orthodontic progress intact. If you have any questions or concerns about Halloween candy and braces during the holiday season, don’t hesitate to contact us for advice or an appointment. Happy Halloween and keep smiling!
