Which Halloween candy is worse for your teeth?

Fall is in the air. Time for colorful leaves, pumpkin spice everything and Halloween! Yes it’s that special time of year when everyone dresses up in fun costumes and we give away sugary treats by the handfuls to all of the neighborhood children. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans will spend over $2 billion on Halloween candy this year, with chocolate being the top choice of nearly 75% of Americans.

Believe it or not, chocolate is actually one of the better choices for your teeth. Chocolate melts quickly, which limits contact with the teeth. However, chocolates with fillings like caramel are not good for oral health because they stick to teeth. Candy corn is also not the best choice, as it is laden with sugar that produces acid which eats away at teeth. A good general rule to follow when it comes to Halloween candy is, the stickier the candy, the worse it probably is for your teeth. Here are a few more tips to help keep Halloween treats safe for young teeth.

• Encourage children to have a good meal prior to trick-or-treating so there will be less temptation to fill up on candy. Taking healthy snacks along for kids to eat may help them stay full all night long.
• Help kids sort their candy into “better” and “worse” piles, as it applies to oral health, and encourage them to drink a glass of water after eating candy, as it helps flush away food debris and can dilute the sugar acids.
• Limit the amount of chewy and hard candies kids eat. Hard candy is tough on teeth because it tends to be sucked on at a leisurely pace for an extended period of time. Chewy, sticky treats are damaging because they are high in sugar, spend a prolonged amount of time stuck to teeth and are more difficult for saliva to break down.
• Only allow kids to have candy in small portions at limited times, such as after a meal, as dessert or at regular snack times. A great way to do this is to provide healthy snack choices  such as chocolate milk, veggies, cheese, fruits, yogurt, and, peanut butter.
• Kids should brush their teeth or at least rinse with water after eating sweets. Remember that high sugar diets are detrimental to oral and overall health, and children should always brush their teeth at least twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste, floss once a day and visit the dentist regularly.
• Give kids something other than candy. Another option is to let children trade in their treats for a toy, fruit, money or mini school supplies. Some houses don’t even pass out candy. In fact, nearly 25% of parents hand out non-candy items.

Be sure to always remind children to brush their teeth or at least rinse with water after consuming sugary foods and candy. It’s also important to teach kids that diets high in sugar are dangerous not only to oral health but also to general wellness. This is the reason why it is especially crucial to brush the teeth at least two times per day using fluoride-containing toothpaste, floss daily while making sure to visit your dentist every six months for professional cleaning and extensive dental checkups. 360-734-6190