01 Nov Candy Guidelines For Braces!

Halloween was yesterday, meaning that you have all this candy but CAN YOU EAT IT WITH BRACES? Some of the most popular candies can be a nightmare for those that wear braces.  We know it is easy to be carried away on a sugar high with all that Halloween candy.  Keep these guidelines in mind as you sort through your Halloween candy loot!

WORST CANDY FOR BRACES

CHEWY CANDIES

These are the one that can break brackets or bend your wires!

• Starburst
• Skittles
• Tootsie Rolls
• Airheads
• jelly beans
• gumdrops
• Laffy Taffy
• Anything sticky and chewy

CARAMEL

These will get stuck in your braces and can tear brackets off your teeth!

• Hard caramels
• Soft caramels
• Sugar Babies
• Heath bars

HARD CANDIES

These are the candies that can break off your brackets, bend wires, stain elastics, and can cause tooth decay.

• Jawbreakers
• Jolly Ranchers
• Butterscotch candies
• Suckers & Lollipops
• All other hard candies

LICORICE

Licorice is bad for braces and can tear off brackets and bend wires. It also gets stuck in teeth easily, stains elastics, and contributes to tooth decay and bad breath.

NUT-CONTAINING CANDIES AND CANDY BARS

Braces wearers should skip any kinds of candies with nuts, but if you really love nuts, go for peanut butter cups.

• Almond Joy
• Snickers
• Hershey’s with Almonds
• Baby Ruth
• Payday
• other nutty candies

BEST CANDY FOR BRACES

PURE CHOCOLATE 

It’s easy to chew, won’t damage your braces, and is less likely to cause tooth decay than other kinds of candy. Just about any brand of chocolate is okay including:

• Hershey’s bars
• Dove
• Plain M&Ms
• Hershey’s Kisses
• York Peppermint Patties
• Junior Mints
• Kit Kat
• Nestles Crunch
• 3 Musketeers
• Milky Way

Don’t worry though; some Halloween treats (in moderation) can still be enjoyed when you have braces. Just avoid those hard, sticky and ooey gooey ones!