If you’re like most families in Granite Bay, you’ve probably got a giant stash of Halloween candy that will last you from now until Thanksgiving (if not Christmas.) And if you’re a parent who occasionally sneaks a piece from your child’s trick-or-treat bucket, here are some candies that could potentially be a hazard to orthodontic appliances or other dental work.
Worst Candy for Braces
A lot of candy is sticky or hard enough to break and pull braces off of teeth. If you’re not sure which ones you need to weed out or swap with something safer, here are some things to look for:
- Jawbreakers or Other Hard Candy — It can be incredibly tempting to bite down into them. The pressure can pop brackets right off your teeth.
- Sticky Caramel or Taffy — If it gets stuck to your hand, shirt, or a piece of furniture, it’s too sticky to eat with braces. Not only that, the sticky texture could pull out older restorations like fillings or crowns.
- Homemade Popcorn Balls, Candy Apples, etc. — We know you love grandma’s recipe, but wait until the braces finally come off before you give in to the temptation.
So, What Candy CAN You Eat?
Chocolate is one of the “least bad” types of sugary sweets you can indulge in over the holidays. Since it quickly melts in your mouth, your saliva naturally washes the residue away.
Milk chocolate and dark chocolate are excellent choices. If you opt for a candy bar with nuts, be careful not to bite down on it. Instead, break it into bite-size pieces and just let it melt on your tongue.
Broken Bracket? Call Our Granite Bay Orthodontist
Even if you stayed away from hard, sticky candy over Halloween, accidents happen. Call Marina Milstein Orthodontics today to schedule your complimentary consultation!
