With Halloween spirits casting shadows across Atlanta, Tebo Orthodontics is here to help you navigate the tantalizing yet potentially tricky world of candies. Whether you are an adult, teen, or child with braces, we can guide your path through this sugary holiday, ensuring your braces remain unscathed amid the sweet and sticky festivities.
The Unseen Threats of Sticky Sweets:
Whether it be caramels, taffies, or gummy candies, the danger they present to braces is not just in their sweetness but also in their adhesive nature. With continuous chewing, these candies tend to get stuck in the brackets and wires of braces, becoming lodged in spaces that are difficult to clean. Even with diligent brushing and flossing, it is challenging to reach all of the crevices that this gooey candy has adhered. Over time, these sugary remnants can lead to the development of cavities. Additionally, the persistent pulling force these candies exert on teeth throughout all of that chewing can potentially misalign wires or loosen brackets, which can cause problems with your orthodontic treatment plan.
Hard Candies — A Perilous Temptation:
Hard candies, including jawbreakers and lollipops, have lots of sugar in them to help them crystallize and hold their shape. As these types of candies are kept in the mouth to soften and dissolve, they expose teeth to sugar for extended periods of time, which promotes decay. In addition, these sweets can pose a physical threat to braces when chewed or pressed up against the brackets and wires. The pressure and force exerted while biting into hard candies can easily loosen, damage, or even displace brackets and wires. This can lead to additional unexpected visits to the orthodontist for repairs, and these disruptions can extend treatment duration for orthodontic patients.
The Destructive Sourness of Acidic Candies:
Sour candies are sneaky and often hide their ruinous effect behind an exciting tang. These tart treats pack a high acidic content that can erode tooth enamel and create the perfect environment for cavities to develop. The numerous nooks and crannies in braces can trap these acids against the teeth, prolonging the exposure and amplifying the potential damage. This extensive acid attack can jeopardize the overall orthodontic progress and oral health, regardless of age or treatment stage.
Embracing the Chocolate Charm:
In the abyss of candy threats, chocolates stand out as a favorable indulgence for those who wear braces. Their soft, chewy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness evades the physical dangers posed by harder candies, and they do not typically adhere to braces like their stickier counterparts. Dark chocolate also has a lower sugar content, which offers a great option for enjoyment while also minimizing the risk to oral health and helping to maintain the integrity of your braces.
Designing a Safe and Sweet Halloween Experience:
Ensuring a Halloween experience that is both fun and safe for your teeth requires some pre-planning and consideration to sugar content as well as the different components of each type of candy. Making braces-friendly homemade treats can be a great alternative to embrace so you have more control over exactly what ingredients you use. When selecting commercially available sweets, be sure to think about what is in them so you can choose ones that will not compromise the structural integrity of your braces. Engaging in thorough dental hygiene practices after indulging in any sweet treat is essential! Make sure you are brushing, flossing, and rinsing, after you consume any type of candy to further protect your teeth and shield them against potential candy-induced damage.
Enjoy This Halloween Season:
Tebo Orthodontics encourages you to relish the delights of Halloween while also safeguarding your journey with a great smile. We hope your path through this surgery season is both scrumptious and safe, and that the only spirits you encounter are those of joy and enchantment.
Schedule a visit with us for more personalized guidance and tips to keep your braces safe from the potential dangers of sugary sweets this Halloween.
