Before
long it will be time to put on those costumes and head out trick or treating!
Halloween is the one holiday that's notorious for eating candy and lots of it!
There is a whole lot of ghoulish fun to be had on Halloween that kids of all
ages enjoy. But if you are wearing braces, all that sticky gooey candy and
other treats such as caramel and candy apples can damage your braces and make
Halloween anything but fun.
The
team at Spielberg Orthodontics want our patients wearing braces to enjoy the
Halloween season just as much those youngsters not wearing braces. Here are a
few tips to help you enjoy your Halloween fun without missing out.
Foods and Treats to Skip Eating
The
general rule to follow is to skip eating anything that's tough to chew. Candy
bars and other treats which contain nuts should be avoided and anything that
requires a lot of chewing should also be passed on. This includes caramelized
popcorn, taffies, licorice and jelly beans.
Avoid
all caramel, bubblegum, hard candies, taffy, popcorn, candy corn, chewy or
rubbery candy, candied applies and candies with nuts.
Foods to Enjoy
There
are plenty of foods you can eat without having to worry about damaging your
braces. As far as sweets go, peanut butter cups are OK as long as there are no
large chunks of peanuts inside. Instead of reaching for that candied apple,
nibble on a few finely sliced pieces of apple with the skin removed. You could
drink an orange smoothy or enjoy some orange jello to keep with the main color
of Halloween.
Not
all candy bars are off limits. You can enjoy Hershey bars and kisses, 3
Musketeers and any soft candy bars which don't have hard caramel, nuts or
sticky marshmallow inside.
Parents,
if you will be hosting a get-together this Halloween remember that some of your
guests may be wearing braces. Instead of treating the ghosts and goblins to
chewy candy, make some soft cupcakes with orange colored frosting or some
pudding cups topped with whipped cream.
Wearing
braces on your teeth does not mean that you can't enjoy Halloween. Skip those
chewy treats and instead enjoy sweets that melt in your mouth like solid
chocolate, peanut butter cups, etc. You also can enjoy a lollipop as long as
you don't chew on it.
Dr.
Spielberg and her team would like to wish all of our patients a safe and happy
Halloween!
