Treats and Tricks: Don’t Scare Your Teeth this Halloween

With Halloween right around the corner, let’s take a look at some brace-friendly treats that our ghouls and goblins can enjoy… and those treats that will create a nightmare for your teeth. Plus, we’ve got some tricks to help keep your mouth healthy during this spooky season.

Try These Brace-Friendly Treats

• SOFT treats like plain chocolates, peanut butter cups, and others that melt in your mouth.
• Trade the candies for sweet beverages like hot chocolate, root beer floats or warm apple cider.

Avoid the Nightmare and Stay Away from These

• Sticky, chewy or crunchy foods such as caramel, taffy, gummies and hard-shelled candies.
• Hard treats such as candy apples, nuts, lollipops and popcorn balls.

Tricks for your Teeth

• Sugary treats and drinks are okay in moderation, but can be scary for your teeth. Be sure to brush and floss after you enjoy your treats – especially around the brackets and the gumline.
• Drink lots of water while enjoying your treats. It will help flush out the sugar and debris.
• Consider having healthy treats on hand as a substitute for the off-limit ones. Goodies like smoothies, cut up fruit and frozen yogurt can fix the sweet-tooth without hurting your appliances.

Associated Orthodontists offers complimentary consultations for all new patients, and in some cases, treatment can start on the same day. In celebration of National Orthodontic Health Month, all new patients beginning treatment will receive a cook book with delicious, orthodontic-friendly recipes.

Associated Orthodontists has five convenient locations in Joliet, Plainfield, Morris, Frankfort and Bourbonnais. Please visit greatbraces.com to find a location near you, and to schedule your complimentary consultation.