Holiday Foods that are Not Braces Friendly

The holidays are here and whether you are cozying up with hot chocolate or baking cookies, you may be wondering if there are any types of treats you should steer clear from, especially if you have braces. The answer is yes! Here are a few holiday treats that are not braces-friendly.

• Candy Canes
• Fudge
• Popcorn
• Peanut Brittle
• Anything with nuts or crunchy crusts
• Caramel - avoid this sticky treat that can easily get caught up in your braces

Four Thanksgiving Foods to Avoid if You have Braces

Thanksgiving is a great time for family, reflecting on what we are thankful for and of course, celebrating around food. Our goal is to enhance the quality of life for those who come to us for their orthodontic health care. Whether it is braces, Invisalign or preventive care, you should always take care of your smile.

If you have braces, there are a few foods you may want to stay away from during Thanksgiving.

1. Uncooked Vegetables - uncooked vegetables, in their raw form are too hard to bite and chew and may damage braces. Instead, cook or steam your vegetables, which will be much softer for your teeth.

2. Corn on the Cob - on the cob, corn can do some damage to braces, but there is no problem if it is cut off. Just be sure to floss, so it does not get stuck to your teeth.

3. Nuts - nuts is an obvious food to avoid because it can damage brackets and cause wires to come loose. Watch out for nuts, often found in pies and other desserts.

4. Caramel - caramel is another obvious dessert to stay away from on Thanksgiving (and beyond during the holidays). It is sticky and can get easily stuck to your braces.

We have been serving patients in Long Beach and surrounding cities for over 30 years. We look forward to meeting you and welcoming your children into the Pediatric Dental Specialists family!

Two Braces Friendly Treats for Halloween

If you have visited any of the fun pumpkin patches near Long Beach, you’ll see all the family activities and be reminded of the fun Halloween is with all the costumes, trick-or-treating and endless treats, all making this time of year a fun time.

Halloween can also be a tricky time if you have braces and while there are certain foods you should stay away, there are some types of candies you can eat on Halloween, that won’t damage your braces. Here are two Halloween braces-friendly treats you can eat on Halloween night.

1. Brownies:
A sweet treat that is braces-friendly is brownies. Brownies or other soft pastries won’t damage your braces and are an enjoyable treat on Halloween. Softness is key because your wires and brackets won’t be damaged. Be sure to brush up after eating treats and stick to your oral hygiene routine.

2. Chocolate:
Sugary treats affect our teeth in different ways, especially when it comes to orthodontic treatment and the overall health of our teeth and our oral hygiene routine. Chocolate that has no nuts, is not hard or has additional sticky stuff is the best route to go on Halloween night (and beyond). Chocolate is so delicious, and one of the most popular types of candy given out on Halloween. Chocolate washes off your teeth easier than any other type of candy. Dark chocolate also has less sugar than regular milk chocolate.

Minimize sugary treats and foods and stick to oral hygiene routines. Check out more information here on what to do if a loose or poking archwires happen or brackets become loose. It’s important to regularly check your braces for bent or lose wires and brackets.

4 TIPS FOR A HEALTHY SMILE THIS HALLOWEEN

Halloween and its accompanying candy can be a scary time for teeth. October is National Orthodontic Health Month, celebrated by orthodontists throughout the U.S.  The doctors at Pediatric Dental Specialists want to remind patients and the entire community that even though Halloween treats can play tricks on orthodontic treatment, there are a few quick tips to keep teeth safe from decay, and protect braces, orthodontic “appliances” during the Halloween season.

1. AVOID STICKY SITUATIONS WITH YOUR BRACES

Stay away from hard, sticky, crunchy or chewy candy and snacks. These include hard or chewy candies, caramel, licorice, taffy, bubblegum (even the sugarless kind) and jelly beans.

2. CAREFUL WITH CRUNCHINESS
Patients want to steer away from hard-shelled peanut candies, nuts or nut-filled candies, taco chips and popcorn (especially unpopped kernels). And whether in orthodontic treatment or not, Dr. Planells says no one should ever chew ice.

3. NOT ALL HALLOWEEN CANDY IS OFF LIMITS.
Good alternatives include soft chocolates, peanut butter cups or other melt-in-your-mouth varieties. The American Association of Orthodontists even offers orthodontic-friendly recipes for Halloween on the website FamilyCorner.com

4. DON'T FORGET TO BRUSH AND FLOSS
Brushing and flossing are more important than ever during the Halloween season, when teeth may receive more exposure to sweets that can cause cavities. Orthodontic patients should be especially conscientious about brushing and flossing after consuming sugary or starchy foods.

It is possible to enjoy some traditional candies at Halloween without causing problems with braces. Everyone really wants to have fun on this holiday, and we encourage patients to enjoy treats that are acceptable, rather than feel that they are missing out.   It’s important to remember that when patients’ orthodontic treatment is complete, and they see their new smiles in the mirror, they will know all of their efforts now were worthwhile.

Tips for Eating with Braces - Pediatric Dental Specialists

Avoid eating hard and sticky foods. Hard and sticky foods may bend the wires and loosen the cement under the brackets or break the brackets off completely.

Avoid eating or drinking foods that are high in sugar content such as soda and high energy drinks since these may cause “white spots” or cavities around your braces which not only are unsightly but may permanently scar your teeth.

Avoid chewing on pens, pencils and fingernails because chewing on hard things can damage the braces. Damaged braces will almost always cause treatment to take longer, and will require extra trips to the orthodontist’s office.

Please brush your teeth immediately after eating! If your unable to brush, at least rinse your mouth with water.