Trick-or-Treating with Braces Doesn’t Have to Be Scary

Trick-or-Treating with Braces

Trick-or-treating with braces can be just as fun as without braces if you follow a few simple tips from Sky Ortho. Putting the finishing touches on costumes and planning out the perfect trick-or-treat route is exciting, but if you or your child are new to braces you may be nervous about the holiday.

Halloween can be a time of anxiety for parents who aren’t sure how to balance food restrictions with seasonal fun. No need to worry! Kids in braces can enjoy plenty of lots of good things without a broken bracket, bent wire, or emergency appointment. With just a measure of avoidance, no child needs to stand on the sidelines at Halloween. Go ahead and fill up those trick-or-treat bags with great Halloween hauls.

Trick-or-Treating with Braces

A Special Treat All Month for Trick-or-Treating with Braces

Each October, orthodontists everywhere celebrate National Orthodontic Health Month. This is the time that we remind our braces patients what candy they can safely eat and which to steer clear of to keep their braces safe. Keeping this in mind, our Sky Ortho team has prepared this simple blog to guide you through surviving Halloween with braces.

We also have year-round tips for caring for your braces on our website. In this section of our site, our team tries to anticipate anything and everything you might want to know about wearing braces by first answering the question, what are braces? Then we walk you through everything you might want to know such as reasons to get braces, how they work, types of braces, how to care for braces, and, appropriately, eating with braces.

Trick-or-Treating with Braces

Trick-or-Treating with Braces and the Candy to Avoid

For orthodontists like Dr. Patricia Larson and Dr. Ryan Fitzgerald, one of the scariest things about Halloween is not the ghouls and ghosts — it’s all the chewy candy people give out. These types of candies stick to wires, brackets, and bands, and pull off parts.

And it is so much worse for a tender mouth. Hard candies present their own problems including pressure on braces that can lead to broken brackets and bent wires. Don’t set the process back with a broken bracket or bent wire.

Some treats to avoid this Halloween include caramel, bubblegum, hard candy, taffy, and licorice. Also avoid eating nuts, jelly beans, candy corn, popcorn, and caramel corn. In addition to chewy candy, also avoid caramel or candy-coated apples.

eating with braces

Party Favorites and Treats to Fill Your Goody Bag

There are lots of yummy things you can enjoy this Halloween. Homemade cupcakes and cookies are a favorite at parties and from those neighbors who do special treats. Plus, when it comes to braces-friendly treats, anything with soft chocolate is a great choice. This includes classic candies and bakery goods such as:

Fun-size or miniature bars are always the best choices because they prevent biting with the front teeth.

Don’t forget to brush, floss, and clean your braces properly after eating your Halloween treats. Have a safe and happy Halloween!