Not only is October a time to celebrate beautiful and healthy smiles honoring National Orthodontic Health Month, but it is also the perfect time to review a few helpful “tricks" on how to keep your smile healthy and still celebrate Halloween!

Dentists and Orthodontists tend to get a bad-rap for putting a damper on all your Halloween fun.  However, Halloween is actually one of my favorite holidays to celebrate! Although my excitement for the holiday is based on my love for crafts, decor, and persuading my family into participating in a family-themed costume, I, too, enjoy and indulge in Halloween treats. With that being said, it is important to be selective in the treats you pick to avoid damaging your braces and prevent cavities.  Broken brackets will require extra trips to the orthodontist to repair, and multiple broken brackets will extend your time in braces.

To help you select which treats to enjoy and which to avoid, my team and I have put together a Bad, Better, and Best Snacks - Halloween Candy Edition!

BAD (Avoid!):

• Gummy or sticky candies
• Crunchy cookies
• Caramels
• Taffy
• Jellybeans/Sour Patch Kids
• Skittles
• Bubblegum
• Hard candies
• Suckers
• Licorice
• Nuts
• Popcorn

BETTER:

• Soft, melt-in-your-mouth treats!
• Milk chocolate (without nuts or caramel)
• Reese’s peanut butter cups
• Soft cookies
• Kit-Kats
• M&Ms (without nuts)
• Junior mints
• 3 Musketeers

BEST:

• Dark Chocolate
• Ice Cream
• Sliced apples with peanut butter
• Brownies

As long as you stick to the “Better” and “Best” lists, your smile will stay BOO-tiful! Happy snacking and trick-or-treating!

Dr. Danielle Godley is a Board Certified Orthodontist and owner at Godley Family Orthodontics. She treats patients of all ages and offers a variety of options when it comes to braces and aligners.  Visit godleyfamilyortho.com to learn more.