It is ironic, the month in which the most candy consumption is also National Orthodontics Health Month. For those that are in orthodontic treatment with braces, some of the most popular treats can be the biggest nightmare. Halloween is supposed to be super fun and it is easy to get carried away on a sugar high with all those Halloween goodies. Here are a few halloween tips and tricks for a spooky good time and to keep your child from getting into a sticky situation.
Have a “pre-Halloween talk” with your children. Remind them to avoid anything chewy sticky or hard! These candies can bend or break your braces … some examples are, Starburst, Airheads, Tootsie Rolls, Jelly Beans, Gumdrops and Laffy Taffy.
Sugar and candy are unhealthy for teeth and even more problematic for those with orthodontic appliances. Before the kids head out for treat or treating be sure to have a hearty and balance dinner that way they are full and less likely to overeat on candy later.
Also, consider a candy-buy-back from your children, also called “The Switch Witch”! You can exchange money, games, V-Bucks or a toy and at the same time acknowledging that the candy is theirs. There are lots of options for donating the candy. Dentists and ortho offices will take your donations and they often go to soldiers or homeless shelters.
Best Candy for Braces:
- Dark chocolate squares
- Hershey’s bars,
- Dove
- Plain M&Ms
- Hershey’s Kisses
- York and Junior Mints
- Kit Kat
- Nestles Crunch
If you are a fan of fluffy and soft candy, you can opt for 3 Musketeers and Milky Way – in moderation you can still enjoy Halloween treats and have braces. And then there is always soft ice cream and slushies
Non Food Ideas
- Glow bracelets
- Halloween sticker packs
- Creepy eyeball or glow in the dark bouncy balls
- Slime (kids love slime!)
- Halloween stamps
- Halloween bookmarks
- LED rings
- Halloween slap bracelets
