Every October orthodontists celebrate National Orthodontic Health Month. This is the perfect time of year to learn about orthodontic health and draw attention to how our profession and services benefit people, including:
- Straight teeth and a healthy, attractive smile.
- Increased confidence.
- Proper jaw alignment for correct eating and speaking.
- Teeth that are easy to clean and care for.
- Lower chances of developing gum disease, tooth decay, and other dental issues.
It’s probably no coincidence that National Orthodontic Health Month coincides with Halloween. For orthodontists, the Halloween season is all about helping patients avoid potentially sticky situations. Remember that all candy isn’t off limits!
The Sweets You Can Eat
When you have braces, you have to be more careful about what you eat, but you don’t have to let your braces ruin your Halloween fun. Choose to eat soft candies. Chomping down on hard, crunchy foods can cause braces to pop off or damage the brackets. And avoid sticky, chewy candies (even if they’re soft). Sugary bits can get stuck in your brackets and foster tooth decay.
Fine to eat
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Hershey’s Kisses
- Three Musketeers
- Mounds Bars
- Kit Kats (a little crunchy but still OK)
- Crunch Bars (ditto)
- M&M’s (let ’em melt in your mouth first!)
Give away or trade
- Snickers
- Hershey’s Bars with Almonds
- Jelly Beans
- Laffy Taffy
- Tootsie Rolls and other caramels
- Twizzlers
- Skittles
- Gum
- Gobstoppers
Even with the OK-to-eat candies, you don’t want that sugar clinging to your brackets for long. Brush soon after eating, and enjoy your Halloween and
Happy Orthodontic Health Month!