Halloween with Braces

Halloween with Braces
Posted on 10/16/2015

Happy Halloween and National Orthodontics Month from Columbia Orthodontics. In light of both occasions, our team has put together tips and tricks to help you have a wonderful Halloween holiday, while keeping your teeth healthy and your children’s braces in tact.

Trick Or Treat: Treats You Can Eat

Having braces doesn’t mean that all treats are off limits. Dark chocolate and candies with the sugar substitute xylitol are not harmful for your teeth as harmful for your teeth, in comparison to other candies. There are also other soft treats that melt in your mouth that braces-wearers can enjoy in moderation.

  • Peanut butter cups
  • Soft chocolate (without nuts or other crunchy ingredients)
  • Soft pretzels
  • Powdery candy
  • Soft cookies

Protect Your Teeth

Remember, the rule of thumb with braces is to avoid foods that are crunchy, sticky and high sugar content. Here are some Halloween staples that we recommend you avoid –

  • Licorice
  • Caramel candies
  • Gummy bears
  • Taffy
  • Jelly Beans
  • Gum
  • Popcorn & Chips
  • Corn on the cob

We also would advise avoiding bobbing for apples, as biting into a whole apple could damage brackets.

Candy Corn Gelatin

Ingredients

1 package of lemon gelatin
1 package of orange gelatin
Whipped cream

Directions

  1. Prepare the lemon and orange gelatin mixtures in separate bowls following the package directions, and set aside to cool.
  2. Once the gelatin mixture has cool, pour the lemon gelatin mixture into clear cups – fill half of each cup. Refrigerate the gelatin until it sets (approximately 20 minutes).
  3. Remove the cups from the fridge, and pour orange gelatin mixture on top of the lemon gelatin, filling the rest of the cup, but leaving space for whipped cream. Chill until the gelatin overnight.
  4. After the gelatin set, top each cup with whipped cream, and serve. Enjoy!

Not Sure Which Treats To Avoid?

If you’re not sure if a Halloween treats is braces-friendly, and it isn’t listed here, ask us about it! Give Columbia Orthodontics a call. We’d be happy to help you out! Let us know if you end up trying out braces friendly recipe above! We look forward to hearing about your spooky Halloween.