We will let you in on a spooky secret….Orthodontists eat candy too! However, not all sugar is created equally. We’ve put together a trick-or-treat list for you on the sweet stuff this Halloween!

Treats:

Dark chocolate

Yum. Dark chocolate is by far the best candy option!  We love this indulgent treat for many reasons. It has less sugar than other chocolates and candies, but recent studies suggest there is a compound in cocoa that can actually fight plaque and help harden tooth enamel. Now that is sweet….

Reeses Pieces

Reeses melt away quickly and do not stick to your brackets, wires, or your gums. Chocolate can be easily rinsed away with water, which is why it makes the top of our list!

Sugar-free

Sugar-free gum and candies are good alternatives to regular sugary options. Sugar feeds bacteria in the mouth, so sugar-free disrupt that system. Sugar-free gum is the only option for brackets!

Tricks:

Sticky candies

The stickier the candy, the worse! Sticky candy sticks to your brackets, wires, teeth and can cause you to not only to break brackets and wires, but your treatment time could be lengthened with excess breakage. Gummies, taffy, caramels, and even dried fruit fall into this category.

Hard candies

Hard candies, including lollipops, are just a continued stream of sugar to your teeth! This amount of sugar over the amount of time it takes to dissolve can break down your enamel over time. Speaking of break, many broken brackets have come from lollipops! Stay away! We know from personal experience, a sweet tooth can be very stubborn! If you fall victim to some tricks listed above this Halloween, we’ve got a few tips to lessen the damage.

Timing

Eat your Halloween candy with your meals. Saliva production is increased that helps clean your mouth which makes candy particles and acid have a more difficult time sticking to your teeth.

Water

Drinking fluoridated water can help prevent tooth decay. This will help combat your Halloween candy damage.

Brush

It is important to brush your teeth, especially after eating sugary Halloween candy. However, you should wait 30 minutes after eating. Brushing your teeth immediately can spread acid from candy onto more teeth.

Call

If you do break a bracket or a wire, call and let us know! The sooner we can get you in for a repair, the better! Sources: The Worsts And Not As Bad Candy For Your Teeth The 3 Best And Worst Candies For Your Teeth The Best (And Worst) Candy For Your Teeth Halloween Tips