Whether it’s Halloween tricks or Christmas treats, the holidays provide ample opportunity to enjoy some sweets and fun snacks. When the holidays approach, Fergus Orthodontics’ staff get a lot of questions about what our patients in braces can eat or not eat safely. “Can I eat gummies with braces?” “Can I eat Skittles with braces?” “Can I eat Sour Patch Kids with braces?” “Can I eat gummy worms with braces?”
There are plenty of sweet treats you can eat while wearing braces, but there are others you really need to avoid. Otherwise, you could end up with broken wires and popped brackets, which could delay your treatment or lead to costly repairs.
Let’s take a look at the dos and don’ts of enjoying Halloween candy or Christmas treats with braces.
Sweet Treats With Braces
Good news! There are LOTS of sweet treats you can enjoy with braces! Let’s start with the one most people love: Chocolate! You can enjoy many of your chocolaty favorites, from Reese’s Cups to peppermint patties to 3 Musketeers. Let’s take a look at the candies and snacks that get a thumbs up.
- Pudding
- Jell-O
- Applesauce
- Yogurt
- Chocolate bars (no nuts!)
- 3 Musketeers
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Peppermint Patties
- Nestle’s Crunch Bars (crisp rice isn’t too hard!)
- Ice Cream
- Milkshakes
You get the idea! Soft is good, but sticky is not. Make sure your chocolates or candies don’t include hard or gooey centers.
Tricky Foods With Braces
Some foods can be bad for you but may not necessarily damage your braces the first or second time you eat them. You have to be careful with these foods. Fruits are big culprits, particularly those that require a front bite. Don’t bite into a whole apple, pear, or peach, but dicing them up is OK — just leave off the caramel! You also want to watch coconut-filled chocolates, coconut icing, or coconut cake because the coconut shavings can get caught in your braces.
Here’s a sample:
- Apple, thinly sliced (no caramel, don’t bite into them!)
- Peaches or pears (diced, don’t bite into them!)
- Strawberries (watch the seeds!)
- Oatmeal (soft, cooked is okay; don’t eat raw or in sticky snack bars)
- Thick, harder chocolates (Hershey’s Nuggets)
- Coconut-filled chocolates
- Coconut icing or cakes
Avoid These Foods With Braces
You may think snacks like Snickers are OK with braces, but they can be tricky. The chocolate and nougat are fine, but the sticky caramel and hard peanuts could damage your braces. That’s why Snickers go on the iffy list when it comes to candy with braces. That also goes for candies such as Almond Joy, Payday, or any candy with nuts. You also want to avoid hard toffee bars, such as Heath bars.
What about those gummy worms (seriously, WORMS?) and other gummy candies? Unfortunately, they can get stuck to and under your braces or on your teeth, which can cause damage to your braces and tooth decay to your teeth. Gummies are on the “avoid” list. That list also includes hard candies, nuts, sticky foods, and gum.
Here’s more of that list:
- Gummy bears, worms, or any other “gummy” products
- Chocolate bars or chocolates with nuts (Snickers, Almond Joy, Payday, etc.)
- Nuts
- Fruit Rollups
- Gum
- Jawbreakers
- Now & Laters
- Laffy Taffy
- Starburst
- Jolly Ranchers
- Caramels
- Sugar Daddy
- Jelly beans
- Skittles
- Milk Duds
- M&Ms
- Reese’s Pieces
- Popcorn balls
- Candy corn
Holiday Season Is Coming; So Is Candy!
What about the other big, candy-rich holiday coming up? Christmas naturally includes Christmas candy! Who doesn’t love those Christmas cookies, red and green M&Ms, popcorn balls, and candy canes? What can you eat or not eat for Christmas?
Let’s check out the list of “yes” foods:
- Christmas Holiday cookies (if they aren’t too hard)
- Peppermint patties
- Chocolate bars (no nuts)
- Chocolate truffles (no caramels)
Here are the Christmas foods to avoid:
- Christmas M&Ms
- Hard cookies (shortbreads)
- Popcorn balls
- Peppermint taffies
- Candy canes
Braces Repair in Jonesboro, AR
We all let a few things slide on the holidays, from schedules to diets. We strongly encourage our patients to stick to these lists, but if the temptation is too strong and leads to a broken wire or bracket, we’re here for you! If you’re in the Jonesboro, AR, area, you can schedule an appointment with Fergus Orthodontics, and we will take a look at the damage. Just be aware! Damaged braces can delay your treatment and cost extra to fix.
So to make the best of your holidays, avoid the foods on our “no-no” list and enjoy the “yes” foods for the holidays!
