Halloween season is here! And let’s be honest, the best part for kids is the candy. But what sweet treats can you eat with braces that won’t get stuck or damage them? Is there any candy that’s safe for braces?
Yes, there is candy you can eat with braces. Here, your expert Washington, DC orthodontists offer a guide for braces-friendly candy — as well as Halloween foods to avoid with braces — so the braces-wearer in your family can enjoy this spooky season to the fullest.
Candy You Can Eat With Braces
Let’s cut right to the sweet stuff. The best types of Halloween candy for braces? The ones that melt in the mouth (not in your hand) and don’t have a chewy, gummy, or gooey texture.
1. Chocolate Bars Without Nuts
Be sure to break chocolate into small pieces and chew with your back teeth or let them melt in your mouth.
2. Hershey’s Kisses
An easy, melt-in-your-mouth treat for braces-wearers your child can pop into their mouth without biting.
3. Peanut butter cups
Both the chocolate and smooth peanut butter are okay for braces.
4. Peppermint patties
Again, these don’t require any biting or chewing.
5. Pixy Stix
The powdery, flavored sugar instantly dissolves in the mouth so there’s no threat of damage to your child’s braces.
6. Plain M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces
Let the candy coating melt a little and then crunch on them with your back teeth. If pieces get stuck in and around teeth and brackets, simply swish with water to help dislodge any small bits.
Non-Chocolate Braces-Friendly Candy
Not a chocolate lover? No problem! The Bird Smiles Orthodontics team is here to tell you that braces-wearers can enjoy many non-chocolate treats like jello and apple cider, and baked goods like cake, cupcakes, pie, and soft-baked cookies.
FYI: Check out these general tips for what to eat and what foods to avoid with braces from the American Association of Orthodontists.
So What Can’t You Eat with Braces at Halloween?
As a braces-wearer, your kiddo might feel a little left out when they can’t eat anything and everything at Halloween. But as we mentioned above, cutting out a few types of sweets is a bonus for their oral and overall health! Not to mention helping avoid sugar spikes and tummy aches.
Why do you have to avoid some candy? Some can damage braces because they’re too hard, crunchy, sticky, chewy, or gummy. Damaged or broken braces can prolong orthodontic treatment, meaning your kiddo might need to wear their braces for longer.
To ensure that doesn’t happen, here’s a list of what Halloween foods you can’t eat with braces. Candy that’s not safe for braces includes:
- Caramels and taffy
- Hard candies like Jolly Ranchers and lollipops
- Chewy candy like Starburst, Skittles, jelly beans and licorice
- Bubble gum
- Popcorn (both regular and caramel-covered)
- Candy with nuts
Your child should also skip hard desserts like sugar cookies, or sticky ones like rice krispie treats. And candy apples? A hard pass!
More Tips for Choosing Candy That’s Safe for Braces
Now that you have a good idea of braces-friendly candy and which Halloween foods to avoid, Dr. Talley and Dr. Clark want to dive a bit deeper with a few tips for cavity protection.
How to protect your oral health during this sugar-fueled holiday.
It goes without saying that eating lots of sugar can contribute to tooth decay and cavities. For braces-wearers, your brackets and wires, along with other orthodontic appliances, have many nooks and crannies for plaque to stick to and for food debris to hide.
So how do you maintain good oral health at Halloween, especially with braces and other orthodontic appliances? Number one: a super thorough twice-daily brushing and at least once-a-day flossing routine. Even the sleeker, modern braces we offer at Bird Smiles Orthodontics still need diligent oral care. Number two: rinse thoroughly with water after eating candy or baked goods. Number three: moderation. The Bird Smiles Orthodontics team recommends putting limits on Halloween candy intake. Easier said than done, right? As moms, Drs. Talley and Clark totally get it…moderation with Halloween candy isn’t always smooth sailing. We find that having this spook-tacular list of orthodontic-approved food helps tremendously!
Your Washington, DC Orthodontist Through Every Season
Dr. Talley and Dr. Clark take a highly personalized approach to patient care. We’re here for your entire orthodontic journey, through every holiday and season and anything you might come across in your treatment. You can move through braces or Invisalign® with confidence — give us a shout if you have any questions about the smile transformation we’re working on together.
