Don't Let a Broken Bracket Haunt Your Halloween: Your Guide to Orthodontic Emergencies

Have you noticed that, regardless of your age, the moment you let your guard down, things happen? Halloween is a magical time to have fun with friends, dress up in costumes, and, of course, enjoy your favorite candy.

But if you’re amid orthodontic treatment and wear braces, that magical scenario can easily turn into a nightmare if you break a bracket. In this blog, J. A. Duval, DDS, of Duval Orthodontics, offers some tips to help you enjoy the holiday festivities without creating an orthodontic emergency.

Why brackets matter

This topic has two elephants in the room. No. 1 is that stuff happens regardless of how careful you are, and No. 2 is that brackets do matter. The best course of action is to understand why keeping your brackets and archwires in tip-top shape matters, and doing everything you can to keep them in good working order, even if it means putting a temporary moratorium on hard, sticky candy. Boo!

The basic principle behind effective orthodontic treatment is applying consistent force or pressure to create tooth movement. The key players in this process are brackets and archwires. Archwires, the flexible wires that work in both the top and bottom arches of your mouth, attach to strategically placed brackets to anchor them and do their work.

Throughout orthodontic treatment, your provider adjusts the archwires – either loosening or tightening them to create pressure that guides tooth movement until your teeth are in their optimal placement. None of this can happen if broken brackets interrupt the process.

Creating good habits and avoiding bad ones

The good news is you can avoid a majority of bracket mishaps even during the Halloween season.

1. Create a candy and food plan

Eating candy or foods while wearing braces is all about making strategic choices. Gooey candies and hard snacks, as well as fruits and vegetables, are bracket-busters. Particular offenders include hard candy, nuts, unpopped popcorn kernels, pretzels, and raw fruit and vegetables.

Do yourself a favor and avoid hard foods during orthodontic treatment. Put your sweet tooth on hold or discover a gentler option to get your sugar fix with puddings or mousses. You can cook or steam many hard fruits and vegetables to be more braces-friendly. So, instead of biting into an apple that has the potential to bend an archwire or break a bracket, you can enjoy a delicious baked apple fresh out of the oven.

2. Slow down; take care when chewing

One of the first things you notice after getting braces is that biting and chewing are different, and they continue to change as your bite changes during your treatment plan. Be mindful of each candy, snack, and meal you eat. Cut things like tough meats into smaller pieces. Then, eat slowly, take intentional bites, and chew carefully.

This approach helps you avoid accidentally biting your cheek and also prevents bending an archwire, shifting a bracket out of place, or even breaking it. If you’re a fan of a particular Halloween candy, consider buying a bag and stashing it in your freezer or pantry for a post-orthodontic treatment celebration. Your braces will thank you.

3. Take your hygiene routine to the next level

Similarly, brushing and flossing take on new meaning the moment you get braces. What once was a fairly mindless, rote experience becomes a challenging obstacle course with plenty of nooks and crannies. Keeping your teeth clean and free from food debris is crucial during orthodontic treatment. Think gentle and don’t hesitate to get creative.  

If you must sample your favorite Halloween treat, be sure to floss first and then gently brush and clean your teeth immediately afterwards. A soft-bristled toothbrush is your go-to tool, along with special interproximal brushes to clear out lingering food debris and plaque in those hard-to-reach places.

4. Ditch bad habits

Your active orthodontic treatment time provides an excellent opportunity to ditch bad habits that can damage or break your brackets. Just say no to using your teeth like scissors, biting your fingernails or cuticles, or chewing ice or hard candy. Kicking these bad habits can prevent bracket damage and enhance your treatment plan.  

If your Halloween brings on chilling mishaps with your archwires or brackets, contact Duval Orthodontics so we can address the issue and get you back to having a ghoulishly good time. Call the office in Warner Robins or Albany, Georgia, or book an appointment online today.