Halloween 2025 is all about costumes, candy, and confidence โ and your smile deserves to be part of the celebration!
Whether youโre walking the neighborhood with your trick-or-treat bag, heading to a school party, or snapping photos before a big night out, your braces or Invisalignยฎ donโt have to hold you back.ย
Before you dive into the chocolate and dress up as your favorite character, letโs check out 2025โs trending costumes, the best braces-friendly treats, and a few orthodontist-approved tips to keep your smile looking fang-tastic all season long.ย
TL;DR: Halloween Smile Survival Guide
- Trending Costumes 2025: Super Mario Bros. squad, Taylor Swift + Eras Tour inspo, Inside Out 2 characters, classic Wednesday Addams.
- Braces-Friendly Treats: Soft chocolates, peanut butter cups, marshmallows (yes, you can eat marshmallows with braces in moderation!), cookies, brownies.
- Candy to Avoid: Sticky caramels, gummies, popcorn balls, jawbreakers, taffy.
- Pro Tip: Brush + floss right after enjoying sweets, and keep your elastics in while trick-or-treating. Carry your Invisalign case with you!
- Celebrate With Us: Snap a costume selfie or candy haul pic and donโt forget to tag us @MatsumotoOrtho!
2025โs Trending Halloween Costumes
If youโre still figuring out your Halloween look, here are the top costumes likely to rule the sidewalk in 2025:
- Super Mario Bros. Crew: Mario, Luigi, Peach, and Bowser are back in action thanks to the latest game release โ and they make a perfect family or sibling group costume.
- Taylor Swift Eras Tour Looks: Sparkles, fringe, and friendship bracelets are everywhere. Whether youโre channeling Fearless, Reputation, or Midnights, Swiftie costumes are taking over trick-or-treat.
- KPop Demon Hunters: Mixing K-pop fashion with dark, fantasy-inspired gear, this edgy mashup is trending with teens and adults who want both glam and spooky vibes.
- Inside Out 2 Characters: The sequel introduced new emotions like Anxiety and Envy โ these colorful costumes are fun for kids and easy to DIY.
- Wednesday Addams: Dark dress, braids, and that signature scowl are still a fan favorite. Channel your inner Jenna Ortega (or Christina Ricci!)
- Superheroes & Villains: New Marvel and DC releases in 2025 mean youโll likely see fresh takes on Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, and the Joker.
- Disney & Pixar Favorites: Expect to spot Elsa, Moana, and Zootopia characters, of course!
- Classics: Or keep it classic with the usual favorites youโll see every year: skeletons, clowns, superheroes, aliens, angels, ninjas, pirates, or witches.
Halloween Costumes with Braces
If youโre in braces, lean into it! You might only get one year in braces, so this is the perfect chance to turn them into a costume accessory:
- Darla from Finding Nemo โ Sport those pigtails & bag up a fish (fake ones only!)
- Eliza Thornberry โ Binoculars, backpack, glasses: check!
- Sid from Toy Story โ Round up a few toys, and break out the Converse.
- Kip from Napoleon Dynamite โ Donโt forget your La Fawnduh sign!
- Gwen Stefani in the 90โs โ Who doesnโt love an iconic braces and pink hair look.
The Big Question: What candy can you eat with braces?
Now for the big question โ we hear it every year: What candy can you eat with braces? The good news is, you donโt have to skip the fun to keep your smile safe!
When youโre out trick-or-treating, itโs fine to enjoy a soft chocolate or peanut butter cup here and there. Once you get home and dump out your candy haul, thatโs when the real work (and fun) begins. Make it a tradition to separate your stash into two piles:
- Braces-friendly pile โ the goodies you can enjoy without worry.
- โSave it for laterโ pile โ the sticky, chewy, or crunchy candies that could damage your braces.
Not only does this keep your smile safe, but it also makes it easier to know whatโs fair game when you want a treat the next day. And if youโve got siblings or friends who donโt have braces, pass those off-limit candies their way โ theyโll be shocked at your generosity (and probably owe you one later).ย
Or, stash a few favorites in a safe spot to enjoy after your braces come off โ as long as they donโt expire first!
Braces-Friendly Candy
Stick with sweets that are soft, easy to chew, and wonโt bend your wires or pop off brackets, like:
- Soft chocolates: Hersheyโs, KitKats, Reeseโs, and Three Musketeers galore.
- Soft cookies and brownies: Yep, you can eat cookies with braces โ just avoid crunchy ones with nuts!
- Marshmallows: Yes, you can eat marshmallows with braces in moderation, just brush after โ and itโs best to avoid the super gooey ones.
Candy to Avoid
As tempting as they may look, these treats can play tricks on your braces. They can break brackets, bend wires, or get stuck in all the wrong places โ which means extra trips to see us and delays in your treatment.
Hereโs what to watch out for:
- Sticky caramels: Too sticky, and prone to pulling brackets out of place.
- Gummies: Bears, worms, and sour patch kids, can wedge themselves into the nooks and crannies of your braces.
- Taffy: A classic braces โno-no.โ Itโs chewy, stretchy, and tough.
- Hard candies + jawbreakers: Anything you crunch down on can snap a bracket instantly.ย
- Popcorn balls: They may look festive, but those hidden kernels are bracket breakers in disguise.ย
When in doubt, ask yourself: Is it super sticky? Is it rock-hard? If the answer is yes, itโs safer to pass. Hand it off to a sibling or friend (theyโll be thrilled), or save it in a โfuture stashโ for the day your braces come off โ as long as they wonโt expire!
Halloween Treats with Invisalign
Hereโs the sweet news: if youโre wearing Invisalign, you can enjoy any Halloween candy you like โ no special rules required! Just pop your aligners out before you eat, enjoy your treats, then brush, floss, and clean your aligners before putting them back in.
The real trick is remembering not to leave your trays out for too long. Carry your case with you, so your aligners stay safe and secure.
Braces & Invisalign Tips for Halloween Night
No tricks here โ just orthodontist-approved tips for keeping your smile healthy and your treatment on track while you enjoy all the fun of Halloween:
- Keep your braces elastics/rubber bands in: It may be tempting to take them out while youโre running around with friends, but those tiny bands do big work. Even skipping a few hours can slow down your treatment progress.
- Bring a mini dental kit: Toss a travel toothbrush, toothpaste, or floss picks into your bag so you can freshen up after candy breaks.ย
- Snack smart at parties: Braces donโt mean you have to skip out on the fun table. Choose soft, braces-friendly snacks like cheese cubes, soft pretzels, fruit dips, or cupcakes instead of crunchy chips or sticky caramel apples.
- Invisalign pro tip: You can eat whatever youโd like โ just remember to pop your aligners out before you dig in, brush after, and put them back in right away. Donโt let your trays sit out all night (and definitely donโt wrap them in a napkin โ thatโs how they get thrown away!).
Bottom line: enjoy the night, but keep your braces and aligners in mind so your smile is still on track when November rolls around.
Celebrate Your Smile With Us
At Matsumoto Orthodontics & Periodontics, we love celebrating with our patients and community. Whether youโre trick-or-treating around Porters Neck, Ogden, Bayshore, Hampstead, Raleigh, Surf City, or beyond, weโd love to see your costumes and your confident smiles!
Get Social with It
Snap a selfie in your full costume, show off your braces-friendly candy stash, or film a quick TikTok as your look comes together. Some fun ideas to capture the good vibes:
- TikTok costume glow-up: Start with your first piece (like braids for Wednesday Addams or a Mario mustache), then transition each clip until your full costume is revealed โ donโt forget to flash a braces or clear aligner smile in the final shot.
- Trick-or-treat haul check: Record your candy dump and separate it into the โbraces-friendlyโ pile vs. the โsave for laterโ pile โ tag us so we can cheer you on!
- Best smile moment: Film your favorite part of the night โ whether itโs a group costume reveal, a silly dance, or just chowing down on treats with friends.
Donโt forget to tag us!
We canโt wait to see your costumes and smiles โ your creativity makes our day! Post your photos or videos, and tag us on Facebook/Meta or @MatsumotoOrtho on Instagram to show off that beautiful smile-in-progress.ย
Stay tuned to see what weโre up to this year too! Smiles, costumes, candy (the safe kind), and community fun โ thatโs our kind of spooky season.
Keep That Smile Healthy Beyond Halloween
Halloween is just one night, but your smile lasts a lifetime. Interested in more tips? Check out more Halloween Survival Guide tips for a mouth-healthy Halloween from the American Dental Association โ or reach out to us with any questions. Weโre happy to help! Please feel free to reach out to us at (910) 726-1000.
If youโre looking for an orthodontist in Porters Neck, Wilmington, NC, Dr. Matsumoto is your board-certified and dual-trained orthodontist and periodontist, bringing you personalized orthodontics with a holistic approach.
Whether youโre looking for braces or Invisalignยฎ, your child needs early intervention or hasnโt had their first ortho check-up yet, youโve been told you need jaw surgery and want a second opinion, or youโre looking for MARPE or MSE treatment, we have the solution you need.
Dr. Matsumoto will create a personalized treatment plan that fixes your orthodontic issue, and results in a beautiful smile and improved quality of life.
Book a consultation at our Porters Neck, Wilmington, NC orthodontic office and receive an honest, expert opinion on your smile.ย
