The weather is cooling own and Halloween is right around the corner. But did you know that it's also National Orthodontic Health Month? National Orthodontic Health Month is to raise awareness of good oral health – straight teeth and a healthy bite! It is also a time when we make our patients wearing braces aware that it is scary to eat a lot of the treats around, because they can break braces off, and delay your orthodontic treatment.
We'd like to remind our patients and their parents that sweet snacks should be consumed with some moderation. While it may be tempting to grab another handful of treats from your Halloween bag or bowl, try to resist the temptation, as too much sugar is not good for your teeth or your body. Parents should consider limiting the time they allow their children to eat Halloween candy regardless if they're in orthodontic treatment or not.
Halloween Can Be a Spooky Time for Your Teeth
During the Halloween season, there are many snack temptations, which should be avoided if you're wearing braces, Invisalign clear aligners or another type of orthodontic appliance. This is because snacks that are chewy, crunchy, hard and sticky can damage your braces.
The below treats should be avoided, as these hard snacks can easily damage or break your braces:
• caramel or candy apples
• gum
• hard or chewy candies
• jaw breaker
• jellybeans
• jolly ranchers
• licorice
• licorice
• nerds
• nuts
• popcorn
• skittles
• taco chips
• taffy
• un-popped kernels of popcorn
What You Can Enjoy During the Haunting Halloween Season
While the list of the snacks you should avoid eating when you're wearing braces may seem long, there are some snacks you can enjoy which include soft chocolates, peanut butter cups, ice cream, popsicles and pudding.
We'd like to remind our patients and their parents that sweet snacks should be consumed with some moderation. While it may be tempting to grab another handful of treats from your Halloween bag or bowl, try to resist the temptation, as too much sugar is not good for your teeth or your body. Parents should consider limiting the time they allow their children to eat Halloween candy regardless if they're in orthodontic treatment or not. Brush and Floss Your Ghoulish Grin Well
Brushing and flossing your teeth well is more important than ever during the Halloween season. This is because your teeth may be more exposed to cavity-causing sweet snacks during this time of the year. When you're wearing braces, it's important to spend a few minutes extra brushing and flossing your teeth to be sure you thoroughly clean those hard-to-reach areas around your brackets and wires.
We wish all of our patients in Bakersfield, Tehachapi and the rest of Kern County a hauntingly, happy Halloween and want our patients wearing braces to have just as much fun as their friends who aren't in orthodontic treatment! If you have any questions about what foods you should avoid and what you can enjoy while wearing braces, give us a call, as we're always available to speak with you!
Tadej Orthodontics
8625 Liberty Park Drive, Suite 101
Bakersfield, CA 93311
Phone: (661) 322-2263
