Who doesn’t love a fun night at the movies with friends or family? From the big screen picture to the surround sound to the delicious snacks, the immersive experience of the movie theater can lift anyone’s spirits. If you are wearing metal braces or clear braces, however, you’ll need to take a moment to rethink the snacks from the concession stand. Eat one of those large bags of popcorn, and you’ll end up in our chair faster than you can say “extra butter.” So NO to popcorn with kernels!
This doesn’t mean you can’t have a fun snack while you sit back in the movie theater chair and smile along with your friends.
Here are just a few examples of foods that go great with movies AND braces!
• Soft Pretzels: Hot, salty, and buttery, but without the dangerous crunch – soft pretzels are a great alternative to popcorn. Don’t forget the cheesy sauce for dipping!
• Hot Dogs: You can’t go wrong with a soft bun and juicy hot dog, and most if not all of the toppings are safe bets, too.
• Pizza: Pizza can a good option as long as the crust isn’t overly chewy or crunchy. If it is, that might tweak your brackets or irritate tender gums.
• Chocolate Candy: Sticky treats like Skittles, caramel, Sour Patch Kids, gummy worms, and licorice can cause problems with your brackets. Instead, chocolate candies including M&Ms, Hershey’s Kisses, Kit Kats, Mounds bars, Sno-Caps, and Reese’s Pieces are a much safer bet.
• Ice Cream and Other Frozen Goodies: Many movie theaters now carry a variety of frozen desserts, and some luxury outlets even have milkshakes, slushies, and smoothies. Everything from ice cream sandwiches to bonbons to sundaes is fine but think twice about blended treats with hard candies mixed into them.
• Snacks from Home: If your movie theater doesn’t mind you bringing your own snacks, consider packing a few things to bring to the movies that are safe for your braces. Some ideas of what you can bring include soft fruit (bananas, berries, grapes, or orange segments), string cheese, cucumber slices and hummus, rolled up cold cuts, or baked chips and salsa.
At Varghese Orthodontics, we help families develop healthy, life-changing smiles using customized treatment plans, cutting-edge technology, and caring relationships. Our unique treatment plans help our patients achieve their perfect smiles in the fastest way possible using a wide range of options. If you would like to know more about your options for straightening your teeth, contact our office or call us at 630.907.9680 or 847.961.5515.
