Who doesn't love Halloween candy?!
It might surprise many people that our family here at Appel Orthodontics are huge fans of candy, especially Halloween! I mean, we used to have a CANDY WALL in our office! So yeah, we love candy.
But… we're also orthodontists, which means we see a lot of Jolly-Rancher-Related-Bracket-Injuries this time of year. Halloween candy during orthodontic treatment is always a hot topic in the orthodontic chair this time of year.
So with that in mind, we wanted to give you a short, easy-to-read list with the Candy You Can Eat During Halloween While In Braces!
We've actually written about this before, so if you want to head over and read more about Candy That Breaks Your Braces, check it about by clicking here.
So here we go:
What Candy Is Going To Break My Braces?
Hard Candy That Breaks Braces:
This one is a no-brainer: Hard Candy will break your braces. That's why hard candy is an orthodontist's worst friend. You might as well be chewing rocks and then showing up for your orthodontic appointment.
Listen, we LOVE our patients… and if you eat hard candy and break your braces, we're still going to love you just as much as before. But all that means is that you're going to be in orthodontic care that much longer… and as much as we love you, that beautiful, perfect smile is what we're all after here.
If you're in orthodontic treatment in braces, please don't eat hard candy.
Chewy Candy That Breaks Braces:
Chewy candy is sneaky. While it may not immediately break your brackets off, it does get stuck around them and cause tooth decay and also breaks down the orthodontic glue holding your braces on.
If hard candy is the Instant Bracket Killer™, chewy candy is the international spy who slowly works against your orthodontic journey. 😂
Sneak-Attack Candy:
Candy like M&Ms, Reeses Pieces, and Skittles are bad for your braces because they are BOTH. They're hard with a soft interior, making them an all-around hazard to your orthodontic care. Don't give in to these sneak-attack candies while you're in braces. You'll thank us later!
Safe Candy For Your Braces:
Here is a great Rule of Thumb:
If it almost instantly melts in your mouth, you're safe. Go wild! Chocolates are your friend!
Now, I know what some of you are thinking, "An everlasting Gobstopper is *eventually* going to melt in my mouth. Is it safe?!" While we have a deep appreciation for the kiddos who are trying to game the system, the answer is still "No!" Gobstoppers are literally the worst thing you could eat while you have braces on. It's worse than just eating rocks… because rocks (most of them, anyway) aren't covered in sugar!
Here is a List of Halloween Candy to Avoid When You Have Braces:
- Hard candies (Werthers, Jolly Ranchers, and the like)
- Sticky, chewy candies (Tootsie Rolls, Laffy Taffy, etc.)
- Nut heavy confections (Turtles, Almond Joy, peanut M&Ms)
- Acidic sweets (Skittles, Starburst, sour Gummy Worms)
Moving from best to worst, here’s the Halloween candy you CAN have:
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Kit Kats
- Plain chocolate like Hershey's bars and kisses and Ritter Sport
- Peppermint Patties
- Whoppers (though we do advise letting them melt in your mouth)
- Three Musketeers
Final Thoughts about Orthodontics and Halloween Candy.
As we said, we LOVE Halloween… and we CLEARLY love candy. But our goal remains the same - we want you to have a fantastic smile, and the orthodontic care you receive at Appel Orthodontics is going to help get you there. And if you're lucky - AND AVOID GOBSTOPPERS - there's a solid chance this is only going to put you slightly out of the game for one Halloween.