Protect Your Braces at Halloween

It’s Halloween season, and that means there is a lot of candy and other sweets to go around. However, while there are many scary things going on, cavities don’t have to be one of them. Here at Robison Orthodontics, we enjoy dressing up and getting into the Halloween spirit as much as anyone, but that doesn’t mean we’ll be risking our health by eating fistfuls of candy.

In fact, too much candy – and even certain types of candy – can be a risk to not only your overall health but your teeth as well. Whether you’re trying to avoid causing cavities or have some orthodontic appliances you want to keep safe, it’s important to use caution this Halloween. The team at Robison Orthodontics is here to help.

Practice Moderation

At any other time of year, we’d recommend that instead of eating a full-sized candy bar, you consider snacking on only the fun-sized candies. Smaller portions of candy have the same amount of flavor with much less sugar and calories, reducing the negative impact on your teeth.

However, we’re realistic – you’re likely to get your hands on dozens of these fun-size treats this Halloween. Try to keep it to a piece or two a night. Avoiding overindulging in candy is a great way to protect your teeth on Halloween.

Avoid Eating Sour Candy

Most sour candies have acids in them that can harm tooth enamel. The acid causes the tooth to break down, which can lead to cavities and other issues. While no candy is perfectly safe for your enamel, sour candies are a little worse than the rest.

Avoid Eating Chewy or Sticky Candy

Candies that are chewy or sticky have a tendency to get stuck in your teeth and can be challenging to remove. Even if you brush and floss regularly, you may still have trouble removing the sticky remnants, which can inspire bacteria growth and lead to tooth decay. Try to limit candy such as taffy, gummy bears, or caramels.

Avoid Long-Lasting Candies

While it may seem like eating just a few long-lasting candies is a great way to keep that sweet flavor while limiting your consumption, these candies can be deceivingly dangerous for your oral health. Hard candies such as Jolly Ranchers, lollipops, or jawbreakers usually stay in your mouth for long periods of time, causing your teeth to get coated in sugar for minutes at a time. This allows bacteria to turn the sugar into acid, which is harmful to the teeth.

Chew Some Sugar-Free Gum

Finally, a sweet treat we’re telling you to try! Chewing gum after candy consumption can increase saliva flow, which helps wash away any acid or bacteria residue in the mouth from eating candy. Just be sure it’s sugar-free gum so you can fully prevent acid from decaying your teeth.

Brush Your Teeth

One of the best ways to fight back against cavities at any time of year is to brush your teeth immediately after eating. This removes the harmful bacteria and acids before they have time to fester and cause damage to the teeth. It’s a tip that’s especially important to follow after you eat candy on Halloween night.

Candies That Are Safe To Eat With Braces

We admit it – there’s something so satisfying about eating a sweet treat, especially if it’s a treat you collected while wearing a costume on Halloween night. If you have braces, however, you’ll need to be extra diligent about caring for them, which could cut into your candy selection just a bit (more on this later). Fortunately, this doesn’t mean you have to eliminate candy from your diet completely or that you cannot participate in Halloween.

Look for these categories of treats to preserve your braces and have a sweet Halloween.

Chocolate Bars

Pure chocolate bars are relatively safe to eat with braces, though you should use caution or avoid those with nuts or caramel. To be extra safe, instead of biting directly into the chocolate bar, you can try breaking off pieces to consume. Higher-end gourmet chocolate bars can be an especially great choice for those wanting a more indulgent chocolate snack.

Chocolate Mint Candy

Chocolate mint candies such as peppermint patties and junior mints can be safely enjoyed. These candies are soft enough to bite into without much risk of breaking a bracket. Also, they’re not too sticky, so they are unlikely to become stuck in your teeth or braces. Although these candies are refreshing because of their minty flavoring, remember that they are full of sugar and should be consumed in moderation.

Peanut Butter Candy

Most peanut butter cups are great choices for chocolate and peanut butter lovers. These candies are fairly soft and not too sticky. That means they don’t pose a significant risk of getting trapped between your teeth or in your braces. You also are unlikely to break a bracket or bend a wire while eating a peanut butter cup.

Some specific candy brands that are safe to eat with braces include:

It’s important to remember to make wise decisions when it comes to candy consumption. As a general rule, soft candy that melts in your mouth is much easier for your braces to handle than candy that is hard and sticky. Chocolate, in particular, is a great braces-friendly sweet that can generally be consumed safely.

Candy To Avoid With Braces

Now for the bad news – there are still some types of candy that are extra dangerous for those with braces. Especially hard, chewy, sticky, or crunchy candies can pose a risk of damage to your braces and teeth and may lead to potential problems down the road.

Caramel Candy

While many people thoroughly enjoy the rich caramel taste, thick, chewy caramels can be bad for your braces. Traditional caramel squares are actually one of the worst things you can eat when you have braces. We’ve seen caramel candies stuck between braces and even caramels that have torn wires free from brackets.

Chewy Candy

Chewy candy can easily get lodged in between your teeth or even get stuck to one of your brackets. Even consistently brushing and flossing may not be enough to keep this candy from causing you harm. Avoid chewy candies like licorice, gummies, fruit candies, taffys, and more until your braces are off.

Hard Candy

Hard candies are bad for your teeth for the reasons we mentioned above. Even for those without braces, biting on a hard piece of candy puts serious stress on your teeth. The amount of force it takes for your teeth to break down and chew the candy can be harmful. It’s not uncommon for these hard candies to pop off brackets, bend wires, or even chip teeth. If you break a bracket, you should call your orthodontist immediately for help.

Popcorn Balls

Popcorn balls are a fun part of the Halloween festivities. While they are not necessarily candy, they can also be dangerous for those with braces. You should generally refrain from eating these until after your braces are off.

A name-brand list of candies you should try to avoid includes:

Damage Candy Can Cause

Of course, we know that it can be especially hard to refrain from eating your favorite candies during the Halloween season. It can be super difficult for children with braces who have friends who are indulging themselves. Still, it’s very important that you remember to protect your braces at Halloween. Here’s some of the damage we see more often during the spooky season.

For example, biting down too hard on a piece of hard candy could cause one of your brackets to pop off or a wire to break. Candy that’s too sticky can put a lot of stress on all the various parts of your braces, including the bracket, bands, and wires. In addition to this, there’s the impact of all the sticky sugar being consumed, which can cause cavities. Plus, with braces on your teeth, brushing and flossing may not be as effective at removing the constant influx of sugar, increasing your risk of tooth decay.

Why and How to Avoid Sugar

From your first bite into a piece of candy, the sugar begins its work. Sugar likes to latch on to any bacteria that’s already present in your mouth. This bacteria will then stick to your teeth to form a thick, sticky plaque. Sugar that remains in the plaque continues to feed the bacteria, which can then multiply freely.

Bacteria can also create lactic acid that begins to eat away at the outer layers of your teeth; when you add in the changes in pH caused by sugar and the additional acid provided by sour candies, conditions are ripe for tooth decay. Eventually, the acid can create holes or pockets, creating still more nooks and crannies for bacteria to live and multiply. For those with braces, acid can build up under your hardware and leave behind a white spot on your teeth that may be slow to fade away. Spaces under brackets and wires, between teeth, or within holes or pockets are often just out of reach of your toothbrush or floss.

Still, one of the best ways to fight against tooth decay (other than avoiding candy altogether) is to brush away the bacteria as quickly as possible before it can latch itself onto your teeth. Brush for at least two minutes with a soft-bristled brush, making sure you reach all the available parts of your mouth. Rinsing your mouth with warm water or a fluoride mouthwash can also be helpful after eating sugary foods. Some people also carry floss in their pocket or purse for quick use, even on Halloween night.

Dr. Tyler Robison

Dr. Tyler Robison is an alum of Mesa’s Mountain View High School. He graduated from Brigham Young University before being accepted to the “Top Ten-nationally ranked” University of Louisville in Kentucky, where he earned his Doctorate in Dental Medicine and a Master’s Degree in Oral Biology. He graduated with honors in the top ten percent of his class. Dr. Robison continued at the University of the Pacific in San Francisco, where he received a second master’s degree in dental science and his orthodontic certification.

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