Spring Candy Guide for Braces and Aligners
With warmer weather underway, the grocery stores are filling up with pastel, spring, and Easter-themed candies. As vivid colors and fun family activities take over, don’t get lured in by the wrong candies, especially if you are in the middle of orthodontic treatment. Follow our Hutta & Hutta Orthodontics guide to ensure you enjoy springtime candy—without compromising your oral health, braces, or aligners!
Candies with braces:
Braces and candy do not always go well together. Candies like butterscotch, jellybeans, toffee, and lollipops can damage brackets. These chewy and hard options, when bitten into, can cause lots of damage to your appliances. Your brackets and wires may even need to be repaired or replaced. If that happens, book an appointment with us as soon as you can. Even if you do not bite down on hard candies, sucking on them still exposes teeth to sugar for long periods of time, so they are not ideal for your teeth.
We always recommend soft, melt-in-your-mouth candies, like chocolate. There are plenty of great options this season. You will be fine eating most chocolate bunnies and peanut butter eggs. And, even though treats like Peeps® are soft, it’s best to avoid them since they get stuck in the hard-to-reach (and hard-to-clean!) grooves of your teeth.
Candies with aligners:
For those with Invisalign®, many of the restrictions that come with braces do not apply. This is because aligners must be removed before eating any food. Though there won’t be damage to your appliances, some basic precautions should be followed with aligners, too. Firstly, never eat anything (especially candy!) while wearing aligners, even if it’s something like a mint that doesn’t require chewing. Secondly, keep your aligners safely in their case to avoid losing them when you eat. Lastly, always remember to clean your teeth and aligners before putting them back on. Aligners cover teeth and will trap any cavity-causing bacteria that isn’t brushed and flossed away.
Enjoy your spring safely!
No type of candy is without risks. High amounts of sugar and acid in candies can make your mouth a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. These bacteria can act on sugar to form acids, which dissolve away the enamel on your teeth. So, always remember to enjoy your candies or sugary foods/drinks in moderation.
By following simple precautions, you can enjoy a fun and safe spring celebration. Have any questions or ready to book your appointment? Call our team today.