by Orthodontic Gallery on Orthodontics and Keeping Braces Clean.

Chocolate vs Braces

At Orthodontic Gallery we like to answer the important questions! If you have braces you will no doubt be wondering if it is safe to enjoy some of your favourite treats this Easter!

So to answer your question “Can I eat chocolate if I have braces?” Yes! You can! There are just a few things you need to remember before you start indulging.

Be Mindful Of How Often You Snack

Eating any sugar foods, including Easter eggs, while you have braces is ok – in moderation!

Keeping your teeth in the best health is vital to your Orthodontic treatment. Your braces will give plaque even more places to hide in your mouth so you need to take extra care to remove sugary acids from your teeth, especially after indulging in sugary treats.

Try to keep your sugar intake to less than 3 times daily. So if you’re about to reach for that bag of mini eggs be sure to eat the whole packet in one go rather than snacking on them throughout the day.

Beware Of Breakages

Breakages can set your treatment back, sometimes as much a 4 weeks, so it is important to be mindful of this when choosing your Easter treats.

While breakages are rare – you should be be extra cautious of eating hard treats that can damage your teeth and braces. You should try to avoid hard chocolate from the fridge or containing nuts, honeycomb and hard caramel.

If you are experiencing problems with your braces – or if you break them on delicious chocolaty treat get in contact with your Orthodontist as soon as possible!

Elevate Your Cleaning Regime

If you know you have overindulged, we know we will, you should make an extra effort with your brushing and brace cleaning.

In addition to brushing twice daily you should use interdental brushes for cleaning behind the wires and around the brackets.

You may want to consider carrying a small bottle of mouth wash with you so you can neutralise all those sugary acids and keep your mouth and braces clean throughout the day.

For fast and effective brace cleaning you could invest in a water flosser. It uses a pressurized, pulsating stream of water that helps to remove plaque and leftover food from the teeth and gums at home, with ease.

Related: How To Keep Braces Clean

At Orthodontic Gallery we will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday so get in contact with us before we close if you have any problems – or as soon as we reopen after the Bank Holiday and we will see you as soon as we can!