Tips for a Scare-Free Halloween—No Magic Necessary!

Haunted house party? You’ve had your costume ready for months. Foggy, moonlit night ahead? Your favorite weather. Ghouls and witches and vampires? Bring ‘em on.

But broken brackets? Warped wires? Abandoned aligners? If these unnerving possibilities send a shiver down your spine, this is the spot for you.

Because while the eerily unexpected is half the fun of Halloween in Menlo Park or San Carlos, CA, unexpected orthodontic problems are no fun at all. That’s why we’ve carved out time for a few reminders to help you avoid some common orthodontic concerns.

Beware These Bites

When you wear braces, eating the wrong foods can have scary consequences. Chewy foods can pull a bracket right off your tooth. Hard and crunchy foods break wires and brackets. Sticky foods pull on your braces and can be hard to brush away. Eek!

Luckily, you don’t need a crystal ball to choose your Halloween treats. Ghost these candies immediately:

• Chewy caramels, licorice, taffy, and fruit chews
• Hard and hard-shelled candies, jawbreakers, and lollipops (especially with gum centers)
• Crunchy candied apples, caramel popcorn, popcorn balls, peanut brittle, and nuts
• Sticky gummies, candy corn, and jellybeans

But it’s not all trick-or-treating gloom and doom! Try these braces-friendly Halloween bites instead:

• Peanut butter cups
• Mint patties
• Soft chocolate bars without nuts or caramel
• Soft cupcakes and cookies
• Pudding cups
• Ice cream—without nuts, caramel, or other crunchy, chewy additions
• Sugar-free gum (if it’s okay with Dr. Kathleen Tavarez)

Aligner Alerts

When you wear clear aligners, following your orthodontist’s guidance will prevent avoidable aligner problems from coming back to haunt you:

• Always remove your aligners whenever you eat to protect them from warping, cracking, bending, and staining.
• If you go out, remember to bring your protective case. The night’s no fun if your aligners have *disappeared* at the end of the evening.
• Don’t let the time get away from you! Most aligners need to be worn 20-22 hours each day. And, while you won’t turn into a pumpkin if you party too long without your aligners, you could delay your orthodontic progress if you don’t get your scheduled hours in regularly.

Time Your Treats

We can’t wave a wand to vanish cavities, so prevention is key. When you enjoy holiday treats (or any desserts), it’s good idea to eat them in moderation and with a meal. This way, your teeth are exposed to sugars and acids over a limited period. And, as you eat, saliva production increases, which helps neutralize destructive acids and wash away food particles before they can harm your enamel.

Water Works Like Magic!

Water has many bewitching qualities, especially when you’re in orthodontic treatment.

• Healthy hydration supports healthy oral tissues and saliva production.
• Water contains no sugars or acids which can damage enamel.
• Drinking water is a great choice when you wear braces, because water helps wash food particles from brackets and wires when you can’t brush.
• Water is the only good beverage choice while you’re wearing your aligners. Sugary and acidic beverages which collect in your trays bathe your teeth in those sugars and acids. Some darker drinks can stain your aligners—and your teeth!

Vanishing Food Particles and Plaque

Halloween is meant to be extra. And when you’re in orthodontic treatment, brushing and flossing is extra important to make sticky, sugary food particles and plaque disappear.

• If you’re going out for the evening, bring a travel-size toothbrush, toothpaste, and a small mirror.
• If you wear braces, brush and floss after snacking.
• If you wear aligners, remove them before eating or drinking anything other than water. Brush and floss your teeth and clean your aligners before replacing them.
• If you won’t be able to brush right away, it’s a good idea to bring your own bottle of water and rinse after eating.

Proactive orthodontic care isn’t magic. Communication and effort are all it takes! Talk to your orthodontic team at Tavarez Orthodontics about the best way to celebrate Halloween without conjuring up orthodontic problems. And when you’re out sharing your holiday spirit, don’t forget to treat your friends to your boo-tiful, healthy smile!