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Just because you have braces, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy Easter treats! As Easter quickly approaches in April, many of our patients—and their parents—have asked about what kinds of treats and candy they can have during their braces treatment. The good news is, there is a tasty variety of Easter treats safe for braces!
Best Easter Treats Safe for Braces
There are great options for treats during this time of the year so you don’t have to feel like you’re missing out.
- Chocolate is a good treat as long as it doesn’t contain caramel or hard nuts. Candies such as the hollow chocolate Easter bunnies, chocolate and peanut butter cups, and M&Ms make wonderfully appropriate treats.
- Rice crispy treats are fun to make and even more fun to eat. Rice crispy treats are soft enough to easily bite into and are not too sticky.
- Cupcakes, cake and other baked goods are Easter treats safe for braces as well since they are soft if they don’t contain hard nuts.
- Fruit is a natural candy! Soft fruits like bananas, grapes, oranges and strawberries are safe to eat with braces and are a healthier choice as well.
Foods to Avoid with Braces
Just like in your everyday life, there are certain kinds of foods that you should avoid because they may cause an issue with your braces or be too difficult to clean. You should definitely avoid these kinds of candy and treats if you have braces:
- Anything too sticky. Sticky foods can include caramel or taffy and gum. Gummy candies and jelly beans (a staple of Easter baskets everywhere) should also be avoided with braces. These kinds of treats cling to your braces and require much more effort to fully remove. If you don’t remove the stickiness from your braces, and your teeth, it gives decay an opportunity to take hold. Sticky candy can also distort wires, and rip the brackets off of teeth!
- Any food or treat that is too hard. Hard candy and chocolate with nuts are good examples of foods you should avoid with braces. Even some cookies might be too hard for you to eat with braces. Popcorn and hard pretzels are also on the avoid list. Be careful even biting into a healthy carrot if it’s raw—it’s best to cut it into smaller pieces—just don’t tell the Easter Bunny!
- Treats that are chewy. Chewy foods like licorice and fruit leather strips may seem like a healthy option, but they tend to get sticky when chewed, putting them firmly in the avoid category.