What Candy Can I Eat With My Braces?

The average orthodontic treatment lasts anywhere from 18 months to three years. Whether a person has a chronic sweet tooth or not, any patient is bound to crave a chocolatey caramel bar or candied sweet sometime during treatment. If you’re in that boat you may be wondering if caving into your cravings just once would be so terrible. Unfortunately, the answer is yes.

Sugar, in General, Is Off Limits

Many people think that the TYPE of candy makes a difference in the overall effect on the teeth. This is not true. A candy can be hard, soft, sticky or gooey and it will still be bad for your brace covered teeth. The problem with eating candy while undergoing orthodontic treatment is that the sugar has so many different places to hide. It can hide under the wires, in the brackets and around other components of the system. The longer sugar is allowed to sit, the more havoc it wreaks.

Hard and chewy candies are particularly damaging, as when you bite down on them, your tooth becomes stressed by the force. With brackets and wires on your teeth that additional force may break or pop off a component of the orthodontic system.

Treats You Can Eat

A sweet tooth can be difficult to get rid of without appeasing it. Fortunately, you can still satisfy a sweet tooth without compromising your smile. Some sweets you can eat while undergoing orthodontic treatment are as follows:

• Dark chocolate
• Sugar-free gum
• Cookies
• Smoothies or milkshakes
• Ice-cream

Contact Today

Whether you’re looking to find more information about orthodontic care or looking to schedule an appointment with a great orthodontist, Jacaranda Smiles is here to help. Call today at (954) 452-9988 or contact us online.