Holidays that involve a lot of candy always create a lot of questions, and one of the most notable of these is Valentine’s Day. After all, most of the treats you eat on this day are thoughtful gifts! You don’t have to let your orthodontic treatment put a damper on the holiday, though. Follow these tips for enjoying Valentine’s Day 2021 with braces.
Find the Right Treats
On Valentine’s Day, the temptation to enjoy a heart-shaped snack (or five) is real. When choosing your sweet treat, be very selective of the candies and do your best to avoid the following:
- Sticky candies like toffee, caramel, and gummies can damage your braces and slow down the orthodontic process.
- Hard candies and lollipops can also cause the brackets or wires to break or come loose.
- Sour candies can be very acidic, wearing down the enamel that protects your teeth. Over time, this can cause tooth decay and cavities.
You don’t want to make an emergency appointment to fix a broken bracket!
Instead, stick to cakes, pure chocolate, and any foods that are easy to brush out of your braces and teeth. Ice cream is a great choice – buy a pint of the favourite flavour of you and your partner. Most types will not get stuck in the wiring of braces or produce an excess amount of acid, but make sure your choice doesn’t include sticky mix-ins. Mousse, pudding, and frozen yogurt are other great options!
If you’re still wary, enjoy the many other ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day – your braces aren’t going to be on for every February 14!
Stay On Track!
To make sure your teeth are brace-free for future holidays, stay on track with your treatment:
- Immediately report issues like broken wiring or floating brackets to your orthodontist.
- Follow all instructions closely if you are using traditional braces or trays.
- Wear your elastics and change them regularly.
- Clean twice a day.
By not following your instructions, you’ll only prolong the need for braces!
Can Braces Get Stuck Kissing?
If you and your partner both have braces, you might be concerned about getting your braces caught. It’s certainly a situation that has created plenty of laughs in movies and TV! However, you don’t have to worry about this myth; the brackets and wires of contemporary braces are small enough to make it almost impossible for two sets to lock together. Don’t worry about sharing a Valentine’s Day embrace with the one you love!