What Can You Eat When Wearing Braces? 50+ Candy Recipes

Braces are a fantastic medical development that may treat a variety of dental issues. But, life with braces may be rather restricting and sometimes annoying, particularly for sugar lovers. So does this imply you can’t eat any confectionery while having braces? What can you eat when wearing braces?

Even if you have braces, you can still eat chocolate bars, Kit Kats, marshmallows, 3 Musketeers, Jello Cups, Reeces Peanut Butter Cups, Pixy Stix, Butter Mint, and Hershey’s Kisses, among other things. As a general guideline, avoid firm, chewy chocolates that may easily get attached to your braces.

Getting braces on your teeth is a costly procedure. And you don’t want to harm the equipment just to satisfy your sweet need. As a result, it is essential to understand which kind of sweets you may eat while wearing them and which ones you should avoid.

And in this post, we will examine a comprehensive list, breaking down all sorts of sweets and confectionery, to determine which goods are safe for your braces and which are not. We’ll also look at some non-candy treats and if they’re safe for someone with braces.

What Hard Candy Can You Eat with Braces?

Hard candy is made by boiling several kinds of sugar without allowing them to crystallize. As the sugars cool, they solidify and require a visible effort to bite into. But, for our purposes, we will consider any candy with a strong shell to be hard candy.

The link between hard sweets and braces is now convoluted. These might be quite damaging to your braces. When you bite into them with force, they might immediately injure your braces. Candies like Gobstoppers, Butterscotch discs, Lemon Drops, Candy Brittles, and others might interfere with the alignment of your braces and your teeth.

On the other hand, there are sweets such as lollipops, candy canes, M&Ms, and so on. You don’t have to bite these sweets to enjoy them. Hence, with caution, you may still enjoy certain hard candies without harming your braces. Here are a few ideas:

• M&Ms According to their tagline, the chocolate will melt in your mouth, not your hands. You should be alright eating M&Ms despite their hard candy shell.
• Bits of Reeces M&Ms are the same.
• Candy Canes It is best to taste the candy rather than bite the cane.

But, before buying any hard sweets, you should contact with your orthodontist. Also, you should avoid providing these snacks to any youngsters who have braces. Because they are more prone to bite into the hard shells, either unintentionally or intentionally, which is terrible for both their teeth and dental equipment.

• RELATED: Can You Eat Chips When Wearing Braces?

What Chocolate Candy Can You Eat with Braces?

Most chocolate bars and other chocolate-based treats melt quickly in your tongue. As a result, chocolate candies are the perfect delicious treat to enjoy while wearing braces. And there is never a shortage of delectable chocolate treats on the market. This will be particularly appealing to chocolate lovers who are attempting to fix their dental issues.

Some considerations, however, must be considered. Chocolate candy should not be excessively sticky or mushy. Otherwise, the material will get trapped between the braces and may damage the brackets that attach the braces to your teeth. Not to mention the harm sticky candies may do to your teeth.

Moreover, some chocolate bars are tougher than others, particularly if they have been stored in the refrigerator for an extended period of time. It will be akin like biting into a hard candy when you bite into that hard chocolate bar. This may cause gum soreness and damage to your braces.

Additionally, chocolate and caramel are a popular combination. As a result, you’ll find it in a variety of items. Yet, since caramel is a sticky component, it is not recommended for your braces.

Thankfully for chocolate lovers, there are several products available that are devoid of such toxins. And here is a selection of some of the best:

• Kisses from Hershey’s Don’t let your braces prevent you from enjoying Valentine’s Day chocolates. You may still have a delicious Valentine with Hershey’s Kisses without worrying about getting that clothing in your mouth. Just avoid the ones that include nuts.
• Hershey’s Chocolate Bar The same goes with Hershey’s Kisses. These are delectable, conveniently accessible chocolates that will satisfy your sweet need. Again, avoid nut-containing bars.
• Peanut Butter Cups Reeses One of the nicest sweets to indulge in when wearing braces.
• Patty York Peppermint It’s impossible to resist the mix of dark chocolate and peppermint filling.
• Chocolate Mints Andes Another delectable combination of chocolate and mint.
• The Mounds Bar For those who like a coconutty flavor in their chocolate.
• Three Musketeers There is no sticky caramel or crunchy nuts in this product. Very ideal for your braces.
• Bournville is a Cadbury brand. Dark chocolate is wonderful for more than just fulfilling your chocolate cravings. Yet, they have several scientifically proven health advantages. Just make sure the bar isn’t too hard to bite into.
• Nestle Crunch cereal Don’t be fooled by the name. Nestle Crunch is made of crisped rice, which is suitable for your braces.

What Chewy Candy Can You Eat with Braces?

Chewy sweets represent a different kind of harm to your braces than hard candy. Instead of destroying the equipment, these delicate snacks may get entangled in the wires. This may cause the brackets to pop off your teeth, destroying a costly piece of dental equipment.

Nevertheless, not all chewy candies are the same. Some are also better for your braces than others. Hence, if chewy candies are your preference, you may have them. Remember to see your orthodontist before using any of the following products:

• Marshmallow Marshmallows are chewy rather than gooey. They also do not stick as well as caramel. As a result, you may eat a piece of marshmallow with hot chocolate or on its own.
• Three Musketeers Musketeers aren’t exactly chewy candy. But, you must eat them, and they are less prone to adhere to your equipment.
• Gum without sugar If you have a propensity of chewing, this is the answer for you. You may chew for an extended period of time without fear of sweets clinging to your teeth or braces.

What Soft Candy Can You Eat with Braces?

Soft candies seem like they should be safe for your braces. The truth, however, is considerably different. Since most soft sweets are sticky and gooey, they may easily become caught between the wires in your braces. Soft sweets that you should avoid include toffee, sour patches, and licorice.

Here are a few options for soft sweets to enjoy while wearing braces:

• Puffs with Stuffing These marshmallows are soft and chewy, yet they don’t adhere to your teeth as readily as others. They also have a delectable chocolate core.
• Cups of Jello As a result, Jello Cups are not made in the same manner as typical soft candy. Nonetheless, they may be a tasty option that does not jeopardize the integrity of your braces.

What Sour Candy Can You Eat with Braces?

Sour candies should be avoided as much as possible in order to keep your braces in good condition. This has to do with a few of sour candy qualities.

To begin, most sour candies are chewy and sticky, both of which you want to avoid in candies. They may quickly enter microscopic gaps and between wires.

Second, the tastes of sour candies are derived from a combination of dried acids. It is usually a mixture of two or more of the following chemicals: tartaric acid, malic acid, citric acid, and fumaric acid.

As a result, it is advised to avoid all types of sour candies. Sour Patches and Sour Skittles, for example, are absolutely off-limits if you’re wearing braces.

What Healthy Candy Can You Eat with Braces?

Candy and health are two terms that, for many people, do not belong in the same phrase. But, contrary to popular assumption, certain sweets are healthier than others. True, sweets often include a lot of sugar as well as artificial colors and flavors that do more damage than good.

Yet, there are confectionery choices that do not include as many harmful components. Rather, they have advantageous features. Dark chocolate is one of the greatest examples. Numerous studies have shown that consuming dark chocolate on a daily basis improves cognitive function, lowers blood pressure, and lowers the risk of heart disease, among other benefits.

There are also various dark chocolate alternatives that you may try while wearing braces. Similarly, there are various sweets with medicinal characteristics available. Just ensure that the items do not have the following characteristics: sticky, gooey, very hard, or include caramel.

• Cadbury Bournvile is a Cadbury brand.
• Mounds
• Threatened Species Bits of Dark Chocolate
• Genuine Milk Chocolate Gems Suck on them first instead of biting them to soften the outer shell.
• Peanut Butter Cups Reeses
• Pudding
• Eco Different Truffles
• Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars are incredible.
• Bits of Theo Mint Chocolate Cookie
• Sweet Fish Smart Sweets

What Fruity Candy Can You Eat with Braces?

Fruit-flavored sweets are an excellent way to pass the time, particularly in the summer. They remind you of the tastes of summer and the tropics in a pleasant and sweet way. There are also several brands of fruit-flavored sweets available. Some are more suited to a person wearing braces than others.

Twizzlers, Jolly Ranchers, and Airheads, for example, come in a variety of fruit tastes and hues. They all, however, share the trait of being exceptionally chewy and sticky. That is, they will most likely get lodged between or around the brackets, causing damage to your braces.

Hence, if you want to consume fruit-flavored candy, make sure it dissolves smoothly in your tongue. And here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Chocolate Apples Only after the apple has been chopped into smaller, more manageable pieces. Caramel apples are off the menu entirely. But, chocolate apples may be eaten.
• Cups of Jello
• Stix Pixy
• Zollipops
• The Zolli Drops
• Zolli Peanut Butter Cups
• Not to worry!

How to Eat Candy with Braces?

Eating any meal with braces may be challenging, particularly at first. Hence, here are some recommendations for eating sweets while wearing braces:

Choose the Right Candy

Even if you select the best product, you need keep certain things in mind. That’s why I prepared you a cheat sheet. Here’s a list of chocolates that go well with braces.

Type of Candy	Options
Hard Candy (lick them, do not bite them)	M&Ms Reece’s Pieces Candy Canes
Chocolate Candy	Kit Kat  Mounds Bar Bounty Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Heshey’s Kisses Hershey Bar Cadbury Dairy Milk Cadbury Bournvile 3 Musketeers York Peppermint Pattie Andes Chocolate Mints Nestle Crunch Reese’s Sticks Lindt’s White Chocolate Cadbury White  Galaxy Smooth Milk Mars Chocolate Bar Cadbury Turkish Delight Lindt Excellence Extra Dark Chocolate Bouchard Premium Belgian Dark Chocolate Cadbury Melts
Chewy Candy	Marshmallow 3 Musketeers Bounty Bars Sugar-free Bubble Gum Peeps S’mores Tuck-Ins Butter Mints
Soft Candy	Stuffed Puffs Jello Cups Junior Mints Pearson’s Mint Patties
Healthy Candy	Cadbury Bournville Dark Chocolate Endangered Species Dark Chocolate Bites UnReal Milk Chocolate Gems Theo Mint Chocolate Cookie Bites Unreal Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars Alter Eco Assorted Truffles
Fruity Candy	Sliced Chocolate Apples (with no caramel) Pixy Stix Zollipops Zolli Drops Zolli Peanut Butter Cups Fear Not! Lindt’s fruit-flavored chocolate bars Kit Kat Strawberry Ghirardelli Raspberry Dark Chocolate Kamara Wafers Ring Pops (do not bite it)

Take Smaller Bites

In this case, chocolate bars and peanut butter cups are excellent. So, instead of eating a large chunk at once, consider taking tiny bits. This will allow you to chew correctly without having to use too much power. If you’re going to consume giant marshmallows, chop them up beforehand.

This will relieve stress on your jaws and teeth. Completing a candy bar may take longer than expected. So you get to take your time and truly taste the sweets, which is just fine!

Chew with Your Back Teeth

As opposed to your rear teeth, your front teeth have less surface area to chew on. Your rear teeth are also more durable since they have greater support. Hence, when you first start wearing braces, avoid biting or eating with your front teeth. You may suck or chew the candy by placing it on your tongue.

Brush Your Teeth After Each Sugar Break

This is true regardless of whether or not braces are used. Candy, with very few exceptions, contains a lot of sugar. And the longer you wait to clean your teeth after eating one, the more time the sugar has to wreak havoc on your teeth. Thus, when you’ve finished eating sweets, wash your teeth gently for a few minutes.

Which Candies to Avoid with Braces?

Braces are usually formed of metal, which provides them a notable amount of strength and endurance. They are, however, not impenetrable. Even something as apparently innocuous as a Tootsie Roll might damage or impair the operation of the device. As a result, you must exercise caution while eating or purchasing confectionery while wearing braces. These are some features of confectionery to think about:

Hard Candy

Many individuals like the sensation of biting into a hard piece of candy. But if you were one of them and had braces, you may want to reconsider. Biting into these delicacies might cause the braces’ wire to become loose. Moreover, they might get entangled in the various sections.

You should avoid the following popular hard candies:

• Lifesavers
• The Jolly Ranchers
• Gobstoppers
• Lollipops and Candy Canes can be licked but not eaten.
• Candy Brittle
• Warheads

Caramel Candy

Caramel is the archenemy of dental braces. They attach to your teeth and corrode them. When you consume caramel, it becomes quite tough to remove them afterwards. As a result, it is advised to avoid caramel-based chocolate until the braces are entirely removed. As a result, you should avoid goods such as:

• Apple Caramel
• Snickers
• Taffy Caramel
• Caramel Pieces from Werther’s
• Caramel Brachs

Anything Gummy

Gummy bears and other related confectionery items are very popular among children. Such items, however, readily adhere to the braces and might cause injury. You may also pop one of the brackets off when attempting to remove the gummy stuff. As a result, the following candies should be avoided:

• Gummy Bears Haribos
• Gummy Bears from Black Forest
• Worms in Gummy Form

Candies that Contain Nuts

At first appearance, you may believe nuts aren’t that difficult. Some nuts are mushy, whereas others are not. Moreover, many sweet delicacies include coated nuts, which further adds to the roughness of the nuts. Moreover, like hard candies, nuts may harm or shift the position of your braces. Here are a few such examples:

• Snickers
• PayDay
• Take5
• Joy Almond
• Nutrageous Reeses
• Brittle made with peanuts
• Goodbar, Mr.

Popcorns and Pretzels

Popcorn, particularly candy-flavored or caramel-flavored popcorn, should be avoided. They, like chewy sweets, may get stuck to unsightly portions of the braces. The same principle applies to pretzels, which are often coated with caramel.

Frozen Chocolate Bars

We’ve already noted that chocolate bars are one of the greatest treats to consume while wearing braces. But, there are a handful of possibilities to be aware of. To begin, avoid chocolate bars that include large amounts of caramel or nuts.

Second, chocolate bars may be tough, particularly if they’ve been in the fridge for an extended period of time. Biting into this bar would be like biting into a hard candy. Hence, after removing the bar from the fridge, let it to defrost for a few minutes.

What Halloween Candy Can You Eat with Braces?

Some popular Halloween treats you may enjoy with braces are Hershey Bars, Reeces Peanut Butter Cups, Pixy Stix, 3 Musketeers, and Peppermint Patties. Halloween-themed cookies and wafers are also available. Therefore, avoid sweets that include caramel, nuts, or have a hard shell.

Can You Eat Cotton Candy with Braces?

You can eat cotton candy while wearing braces. Cotton candy, often known as Fairy Floss, is a favorite delicacy at carnivals, circuses, and amusement parks. This is virtually completely comprised of sugar. Yet, since the sugar is so light, it dissolves fast in your tongue. Just remember to take little amounts at a time and to place it straight on your tongue to melt.

Can You Eat Airheads with Braces?

Airheads with bracing should be avoided. Perfetti Van Melle, a Dutch-Italian firm, manufactures Airheads taffy sweets. Taffy may readily adhere to troublesome regions around your braces. This makes cleaning more difficult and bacteria growth more likely.

Can You Eat Gummy Worms with Braces?

When wearing braces, you should avoid eating Gummy Worms or any other gummy candy. Since these objects tend to gather around the braces and might be difficult to clean thoroughly. If you acquire such sweets during trick-or-treating, just give them to someone who is not wearing braces.

Can You Eat Starbursts with Braces?

Starburst is a fruit-flavored taffy-like candy that comes in a box. Moreover, although their bright colors are alluring, particularly to children, they should not be worn or given to anybody who has braces. Taffy may become caught in the wires of your braces and cause harm to your teeth.

Can You Eat M&Ms with Braces?

Although you may consume M&Ms with caution, it is still preferable to consult with your orthodontist beforehand. M&Ms are made out of a chocolate core surrounded by a firm candy shell. Although the chocolate is somewhat safe for your braces, the crunchy shell on the exterior may not be.

Can You Eat Kit Kat with Braces?

You can eat Kit Kat while wearing braces. This renowned candy brand has crispy wafers covered in chocolate and various flavors. As a result, they offer no risk to your braces. Just remember to eat the sweets with your back teeth. Moreover, after having one, carefully clean your teeth.

Can You Eat Skittles with Braces?

When wearing braces, you should avoid eating Skittles. From the exterior, they may seem to be M&Ms. Yet, Skittles have a chewier texture than M&Ms, making them more dangerous to your teeth and dental equipment. Hence, even if you can eat M&Ms, you should avoid Skittles.

Can You Eat Jolly Ranchers with Braces?

Jolly Rancher is an American candy company that makes hard candy, jelly beans, sour bites, and lollipops. Yet the most, if not all, of these things are harmful to your braces. You’ll probably be able to get away with just sucking on their lollipop. Therefore, it is best to avoid Jolly Rancher candies entirely.

Can You Eat Sour Patch with Braces?

Another kind of chewy candy to avoid when wearing braces is sour patch. They also have a coating of various acidic granules to give them their signature sour flavor. This may potentially result in broken braces.

Can You Eat Sweet Tarts with Braces?

SweeTarts is a candy brand that includes gum, taffy, and little chewy candies shaped like animals and other items. You should avoid eating them with braces since they are so chewy. Candy may become stuck between the metal brackets, making it difficult to clean or remove.

Can You Eat Marshmallows with Braces?

Even if you have braces, you can eat marshmallows and other comparable things. So, unlike other chewy confectionery, marshmallows are not as sticky. They dissolve swiftly in your tongue, much like cotton candy. So you can have a few marshmallows without feeling guilty.

Can You Eat Peeps with Braces?

Peeps are marshmallows that come in various forms such as chicks, ducks, and other animals. Marshmallows are chewy, yet they do not adhere to your teeth as readily as other foods. Rather, they fade away with time. And Peeps’ distinctive appearance makes them one of the finest gifts for youngsters who wear braces.

Can You Eat S’mores with Braces?

Smores are a famous summertime dessert that consists of a marshmallow and chocolate center sandwiched between two graham crackers. You may eat smores with braces as long as you take few bites at a time. So you can still go camping without missing out on the complete experience.

Can You Eat Cookie Dough with Braces?

With braces, you may eat cookie batter and ordinary cookies. But, watch out for any nuts or other firm elements in the cookie. Avoid cookies that are very firm and crunchy. These may put too much strain on the brackets, causing your braces to break.

To summarize, eating sweets while wearing braces may be difficult. You may satisfy your sweet desire without jeopardizing your oral health if you know which ones to avoid and which ones to select. Here’s a table that might help you choose the best confectionery to consume with braces.

Candy	Can you eat it?
Cotton candy	Yes
Airheads	No
Gummy worms	No
Starbursts	No
M&Ms	Possibly; check with your orthodontist.
Kit Kat	Yes
Skittles	No
Jolly rancher	No
Sour Patch	No
SweeTarts	No
Marshmallows	Yes
Peeps	Yes
Smores	Yes
Cookie Dough	Yes