The Worst Halloween Candy For Your Teeth
Tick-or-treating is just around the corner and the candy haul could be your dentists biggest fear! According to a recent article from Modern Families and Fresh Ideas Parenting, Dr. Timothy Chase of Smiles NY shared the worst candies for your kiddo's teeth.
Worst Candies:
Taffy and candy filled with caramel, coconut, or nuts can be awful for your teeth. These types of sweet treats can stick to your teeth and even to the grooves of your teeth. Having food stuck to your teeth for long periods of time allow bacteria to feed on it, which can produce cavity-causing acid.
Lollipops, jawbreakers, and other hard candies are almost just as bad. They may not stick to your mouth, however they take longer to dissolve causing your mouth to become more acidic.
Sour candy contains a higher acidic content, which can break down tooth enamel.
Powdery candy, like Pixie Stixs, dissolve quickly and do not require chewing. Since they contain nothing but sugar they lead to cavities by changing the mouth's PH and giving bacteria sugar to eat.
We would be crazy to think that not consuming candy on Halloween would even be considered. A not so bad choice is chocolate that does not contain sticky fillings. These types will generally not stick to your teeth making them a better choice for your sweet tooth! Of course, sugar free gum may be the best Halloween treat for your teeth. Sugar free gum leaves no sticky residue and is sweetened with xylitol, a natural sugar that bacteria is unable to form plaque on.
Candy temptations can be hard to ignore. If you decided to indulge be sure to brush and floss your teeth immediately after to reduce the chance of cavities!
Happy Halloween!