How Can My Child Enjoy Halloween While in Braces?
Long Beach, CA – Halloween is just around the corner, and that means all things spooky, creepy and all the candy you can handle. If you’re an orthodontist, Halloween is definitely a scary time – we worry not only about sugar overload for our patients but also damaged brackets and wires.
If you are the parent of a child in braces this Halloween season, it’s important to take the time to remind your child how to properly care for their brackets and wires. And that means making sure they know which candies are safe for braces and which to avoid.
Your child should take care to avoid anything too sticky, chewy, crunchy, or hard, as well as anything that needs to be bitten into. This includes:
- Candy and caramel apples
- Popcorn balls
- Gummy candies
- Nougat
- Taffy
- Tootsie rolls
- Licorice
- Nuts and any candies containing nuts
- Caramels
- Jawbreakers and lollipops
- Sour candies
- Bubblegum
- Hard candies such as Jolly Ranchers
- Skittles and Starburst
But that doesn’t mean your child can’t partake in any Halloween goodies. There are still plenty of treats to enjoy, such as:
- Plain chocolate bars
- Peanut butter cups
- Pixie Stix
- Softer chocolate bars, such as Three Musketeers
- Peppermint Patties
- Hershey’s Kisses
- Jell-O
- Pudding
- Cupcakes and cake
- Soft cookies
Halloween is a fun time, and we want our patients to enjoy themselves! While this Halloween may need to look slightly different as far as what treats can be consumed, it doesn’t mean your child has to avoid the spoils of their trick-or-treating altogether. But as the parent, you must help them enjoy these treats in moderation and ensure that they properly care for their teeth after indulging.
Take the time to talk about proper brushing techniques with your child. Ensure they are brushing morning and night for at least two minutes and flossing at least once a day. If your child is eating a bit more sugar than he or she normally would, paying extra attention to their oral care routine is especially important. The brackets and wires of the braces create a lot of nooks and crannies in which food debris can get stuck. And if that debris is loaded with sugar and is allowed to sit, it can create a big problem.
By taking the time to talk to your child about having a braces-friendly Halloween, you can help your child have a wonderful time, while not jeopardizing the hard work they’ve already put into their treatment.