Candy isn’t just for kids. In general, most people love candy, chocolates, and other sweet treats. Just because you start orthodontic treatment doesn’t mean your love of sweet treats and candies disappears. Thus, it’s only time before a natural conflict arises between candy consumption and maintaining your braces. It’s well-known that certain foods are a no-go for people with braces, but surprisingly, not all candies are banned. Yet, some types of candy pose a significant threat to the integrity of your braces and the health of your smile.
Here, our orthodontists at Comprehensive Dental Care list and discuss the top three worst candies for braces. Contact our Gainesville dentists and orthodontic specialists today to schedule an appointment.
Hard Candy
Candies, like lollipops, may seem like a safe bet for enjoying a sweet treat while wearing braces, but they aren’t! Hard, sugar-filled candy won’t destroy your braces appliances unless you bite and crunch them, but many people who eat hard candy love doing just that. Whether you’re eating Jolly Ranchers®, jawbreakers, or another hard sweet, these candies are not just very hard but also very hard on your braces and oral health! Lollipops with gum or candy centers are among braces wearers’ worst nightmares. Their hard exterior is yummy, but their soft or chewy interiors encourage you to bite into them, and when you do, the gum or candy inside will stick firmly to your teeth and braces. Shards of hard candy can wedge under your braces wire and cause your brackets to pop off your teeth.
Gummy Candy
Whether you enjoy eating gummy bears, worms, or another gummy candy treat, you should skip these gummy delights when you have braces. Even though these treats are soft to the touch, feel easier to chew, and are less tacky than gum, they can still wedge their way under your brackets. What’s more, this accumulation of sugar left behind after chewing gummy candy can cause tooth decay and cavities. The high amounts of sugar in gummy candies will adhere to the crevices between your teeth and spaces between your brackets that are hard to reach with a toothbrush and floss, increasing your risk of tooth decay.
Sticky Candy
From Laffy Taffy® bars and pieces to bubble gum and Blow Pops®, sticky candy comes in all shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors. Sticky candy items have a lengthy and proven history of wrecking orthodontic appliances, resulting in yet another trip to the orthodontist’s office. Laffy Taffy® and saltwater taffy can stick to braces and cause brackets to pop off your teeth. When these sticky treats adhere to your braces, they will likely take the brackets off with them when you attempt to get them unstuck. Bubblegum and lollipops are also concerning, particularly when they are paired in a single treat. For braces-wearers, chewing gum can bend the wire of your braces and increase the duration of your orthodontic treatment. Caramel is another sticky treat braces wearers must avoid, as it can easily get stuck to teeth and braces and wreak havoc on your oral health.