Halloween is one of the most exciting times of the year for kids and adults alike. There’s plenty of festive fun to enjoy: costumes, creepy decorations, scary movies, and of course, candy. While we generally encourage more tooth-friendly treats at Babylon Dental Care, there is a balance you can strike between enjoying Halloween candy and maintaining dental health.
If you want to protect your teeth this Halloween while still enjoying the festivities, you should understand how different types of candy affect your oral health. This easy guide offers all that information and more.
The Scary Truth About Halloween Candy and Teeth
If there were a horror movie starring teeth, there’s no doubt that sugar would be the villain. When you eat sugary things, your naturally occurring oral bacteria feed on them and produce acids. Those acids cause enamel erosion, which can eventually cause tooth decay, tooth sensitivity, and gum issues.
Of all the sugary treats in the world, candy stands among the most sugar-packed you’ll find. That means overdoing it on Halloween can significantly raise your odds of tooth decay if you’re not careful.
But that’s not the only threat Halloween candy poses to your teeth. Depending on the type of candy, you may be facing other oral health horrors if you’re not careful with that trick-or-treating haul. Some candies stick to teeth, others contain more acid, and others are hard enough to chip away at your enamel if you’re not careful.
While you may be feeling frightened about consuming candy this Halloween, it’s important to remember there are safe ways to indulge.
Best and Worst Halloween Candies for Dental Health
While anything with sugar threatens your beautiful smile, not all sugary threats are created equal. If you want to enjoy the festivities this year while caring for your oral health, you should know which candies are the toughest and the easiest on your enamel.
The Worst Candies for Your Teeth
Some of the high-risk Halloween candies you might come across this season include:
- Sticky Candy: Taffies and caramels cling to the teeth, making them harder to remove. Lingering candy allows the sugar bacteria in your mouth more time to produce enamel-eroding acids.
- Hard Candy: Lollipops and other sucking candies dissolve slowly, letting the sugar sit around longer, feeding bacteria and creating acids. These candies can also crack or chip teeth, exposing them to decay even more.
- Sour Candy: Sour candy and acid go hand in hand, which means even more enamel-eroding substances in your mouth are wearing your teeth down.
Better Candy Choices for Your Teeth
If you want to prevent tooth decay, the sweets you’ll want to gravitate towards this year include:
- Chocolate (Plain or Dark): Fortunately, many candies that wind up in a trick-or-treat bag contain the best candy for your teeth: chocolate. Chocolate doesn’t stick to teeth like other candies, doesn’t contain extra acids, and is typically not so hard that it can break your teeth. Dark chocolate may even offer oral health benefits.
- Sugar-Free Candy: Sugar-free candies use sweeteners like xylitol, which limit sugar exposure and reduce cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth. They offer a “sweet” treat without the risks to your teeth.
- Candy That Dissolves Quickly: Anything that melts quickly in your mouth rather than lingering for a while is generally a better option. The less time your teeth are exposed to sugar, the less time bacteria have to produce damaging acid.
Tips to Protect Your Teeth During Halloween
There’s nothing wrong with indulging on special occasions, provided you take the proper measures to protect your oral health. Here are some easy tips for doing precisely that this Halloween:
- Rinse or Brush After Treats: Brushing after candy with a fluoride toothpaste helps remove sugar and neutralize acids. A water rinse immediately after some sweet treats can also help wash away sugar.
- Flossing is Key: A toothbrush can’t reach all the places where candy might get stuck. Flossing thoroughly can get those hard-to-reach areas and ensure they’re clean.
- Schedule a Checkup: A dental visit after Halloween can ease any fears you might have that your little goblins and princesses overindulged. Their dentist can perform an oral exam and cleaning, and perhaps provide dental sealants for next year’s festivities.
Contact Babylon Dental Care Today
Regular pediatric dental care can make a huge difference in your child’s oral and overall health. If you want to schedule a checkup with Babylon Dental Care this Halloween season, contact us online or call (631) 983-6665.
Related Posts:
What Is a Pediatric Dentist, and Why Is it Better for Children to See a Pediatric Dentist?