Many of us have or have had to wear braces at some point in our lives. And it’s probably safe to say that the vast majority of us brace wearers love the odd spot of candy. So, it’s safe to say that the issue of eating candy with braces is a pretty widespread query. If you’re about to stuff down your favorite chocolate or gummy or whatever it may be, just hold on a few more moments! Because right now, we’re going to tell you all about the recommended candy for brace wearers.
e.g. So, what candy can you eat with braces? If you have braces, you can typically eat soft candy that does not require much chewing. Even so, you must always ensure that your teeth are cleaned after eating. Hard/boiled or sticky candy, on the other hand, should not be consumed as it can damage your braces, get stuck, and/or cause you pain.
Once your braces are fitted, it’s best to stay away from candy for a while, as it can cause damage to your teeth and delay the orthodontics process.
Besides, your teeth will likely be sore, to begin with anyway and you’ll not likely want to opt for anything too hard.
In time, however, when your gums calm down, you may want to introduce some sweet treats. Let us now look at how to safely do so!
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Should You Eat Candy With Braces?
You can eat candy with braces, although it’s not advised! However, if you really want to, then you can, but some candies should definitely be avoided so that your teeth are kept nice and healthy whilst the braces work their magic.
Candy is probably best not for consumption during your years as a brace wearer.
It could potentially slow down the process of enhancing your smile and general dental health, which is, after all, what your braces are put in place to do.
So, why is candy such a threat?
Why Candy Is Not Ideal For Brace Wearers
Sugar
We all know that sugar isn’t the healthiest thing anyway.
It leaves bacteria and acids on your set of choppers that can lead to tooth decay.
If you’re wearing braces and you consume sugary candy, then excess sugar will build up in your brackets and bands.
That’s not good, especially as it will be more difficult to clean your teeth of this bacteria and acid whilst the braces are in your way.
Brace Damage
Most forms of candy are sticky, chewy, or hard.
When we bite into these candies, stress is put on our teeth as they try to chew the candy for consumption.
When you have braces, this stress is also put on the brackets and bands of your braces.
The result could be that your brackets and bands may pop off at some point due to this stress.
You’ll then need to call your orthodontist to get this fixed, and that’s going to delay how long you wear braces by one or two months.
When Candy Is More Appropriate For Brace Wearers
If you must….
No matter whether you’re a brace wearer or not, we all need to limit how much candy we eat.
No set of choppers is completely safe from the development of cavities and teeth damage.
That being said, when you’re a brace wearer, it is especially important that you monitor what candy you are stuffing your face with if you really must indulge.
This is because certain candies can cause damage to both your teeth and your braces, as discussed above.
Just to recap, acidic candy can cause damage to your teeth’s enamel.
Hard sweets can also do the same whilst they are sticky sweets that can get stuck in your braces and cause your brackets to pop off. So you really must be careful.
I’ll say this now, and I’ll say it again later. If you are a brace wearer, you must brush, floss, and mouthwash your teeth after indulging in some of your favorite candy.
I bet you’re now itching to know which candy you can and can’t eat now with your braces in place!
So I’m not going to tease you any longer. Read on to find out the ways and the nays when it comes to candy with braces.
What Candy Can You Eat With Braces?
“What?! Can’t I eat any candy with my braces? But I’ll be wearing them for years?!”
Don’t be alarmed. Not all candy is off-limits when you have braces.
As an independent human being (or a guardian or perhaps a less independent and much younger human being), you can make the decision as to whether or not it is wise to stick that sugary treat into your mouth.
All you have to do is ask yourself this question: Will this delicious, mouth-watering, sense-electrifying delicacy get stuck in my braces? If you decide that a particular piece of candy won’t, then straight down the hatchet, it can go.
You’re going to want to look out for softer candies, often those which can melt if you just suck them.
These are much less risky to eat as they pose less of a threat to the condition of your braces.
Of course, you wouldn’t, or at least SHOULDN’T, overindulge when you don’t have braces.
So, don’t do it either when you do. Everything in moderation.
Here’s a list of candies I’d recommend sticking to after your orthodontics has done their job:
- Soft chocolate (as long as there’s no caramel or nuts inside!)
- Kit Kats
- Hershey’s Kisses
- Peep’s candy
- Hershey’s Cookies and Cream Bars
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Mallo Cups
- Smarties
- Soft or Chewy Sweetarts
- Peppermint Patties
- Three Musketeers
What Candies To Avoid With Braces
Sadly, if you’re wearing braces and you like your hard, gooey, sticky, and chewy candies, it’s time to put them down just for a while. If you do eat these, then they’re going to get stuck in your braces and cause unnecessary damage as well as pain.
The chances are one of your brackets could even pop off of your teeth! And you wouldn’t want that, trust me.
So, if you’ve spotted a very appealing piece of candy on the shop shelf, but you’re not sure whether to spend your hard-earned cash on it, ask yourself that very important question again: Will this delicious, mouth-watering, sense-electrifying delicacy get stuck in my braces?
If the answer you come up with is yes, then keep searching that shelf until the answer is no.
Remember, even if your favorite candy still has the green light to have whilst you wear braces, don’t overdo it.
Even the safest candies will accumulate excess around your braces, leading to permanent white marks, which is known as decalcification.
Excess can also cause cavities and gum disease, which you do not want any day of the week!
To help you out, here’s a list of the candies you should definitely avoid during your brace-wearing days:
- Hard Candies
- Chewy Candies
- Sour Candies
- Snickers
- Starburst
- Chewing Gum
- Taffy
- Skittles
- Tootsie Rolls
- Caramels
- Butter Fingers
- Licorice
- Jolly Ranchers
- Brittle Candy
- Gummy Bears
- Airheads
- Suckers
- Popcorn
Alternatives To Candy If You Have Braces
Eating the wrong candy could cause you a lot of pain whilst you’re wearing braces.
Now, there’s no need to panic.
I have a sweet tooth to match your own, so I am fully aware of some delicious substitutes to satisfy that craving.
These alternatives, I give to you under one condition.
And here it is.
Once you have devoured them and satisfied your need for something sweet and tasty, always brush and floss immediately afterward!
As you’ll see, the goodies on the list below share something with those candies which I have already mentioned it is ok to eat when you have braces. What was so important about those candies?
That they were soft in texture and therefore easy on the braces.
So the alternatives will possess a similar texture as well.
So, here is that special list of some enjoyable alternatives to candy:
- Ice Cream
- Soft Cookies (such as Oreos dipped in milk),
- Jell-O
- Pancakes
- Yogurt
- Smoothies
Finally
Eating candy is always a risk. It’s an even greater risk when you have braces.
Damage and delay are the potential consequences of being unwise in your consumption of candy.
Of course, there are candies that significantly lessen the risk.
Just make sure to brush, floss, and mouthwash! Oh, and mouthwash again!
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Hello, I’m Matthew, a candy expert and enthusiast with over a decade of experience in the candy industry. My passion for candy started at a very young age. Since then, I have worked in numerous, large candy stores, and have been fortunate enough to try out hundreds of brands of candies, different types and flavors. In addition to my work, I enjoy sharing my extensive knowledge with others, and decided to create Sugar Stand in order to do so. My mission is to make the world a sweeter place, one candy at a time.