Braces and Candy: Orthodontists Find a Way to Beat Halloween Blues

For years, orthodontists have despaired of the Halloween holidays, as kids with braces overindulge in candy, and then require urgent appointments to fix broken braces or other problems after the holiday.  The year's most candy-friendly season is also the most worrying time for orthodontists who find their warnings to kids to go easy on the sticky treats, go largely unheeded.

This year however, members of the American Association of Orthodontists initiated a buy-back program for Halloween candy. Under the program that includes hundreds of participating dentists throughout the country, kids could visit their orthodontists, and exchange the considerable amounts of sticky candy and hard treats they received, for non-candy gifts, including gift vouchers, movie tickets, and even cash.  What the move does is to lure the close to 5 million Americans undergoing orthodontic treatment, to exchange their candy stocks with other appealing gifts.  This year, the Association expected to "buy back" close to 16 tons of candy.

If you thought orthodontists were exaggerating the kind of effect that the Halloween season has on teeth fitted with braces, you would be wrong.  Every year, orthodontists across the country make special arrangements to schedule in extra appointment time in the days after the Halloween holiday, to take care of children with broken brackets, loose wires and other braces problems that occur as a result of biting chewy caramel candy, and other hard treats that are popular during this holiday.  
 
In spite of warnings not to overindulge in the sticky candies that are anathema to orthodontists, there was no decrease in brace problems after the holiday.   The AAO then came up with this brilliant "buy back" program to allow kids to enjoy the holiday with more tooth friendly treats, instead of the chewy ones.

As part of its annual awareness program around the Halloween season, this year too, members of the AAO made Americans aware of the kind of foods that can be safely consumed in moderation during Halloween, and the kids of foods that must be avoided at all costs.   Foods containing caramel, licorice, taffy, nuts, bubble gum, jelly beans, hard pretzels, taco chips, pop corn, and caramel apples are categorized as the foods to avoid for people wearing braces. Generally, anything's that’s sticky, hard, chewy or crunchy is not a good idea to eat.

For persons who would rather not "sell" their candy to their orthodontist and want to indulge in this, the candy season of the year, orthodontists have other safer options that can be enjoyed without too much worry. They recommend softer chocolates that melt in your mouth, like peanut beater cups and other gooey chocolates.  These won't harm the delicate wires and brackets on your braces, allowing you to enjoy a happy Halloween.  Orthodontists also suggest other sweet alternatives that won't harm your braces, like slices of apples or strawberries, dipped in chocolate sauce.

So, as you see, it's entirely possible to have a sweet Halloween without spooking your orthodontist!