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Parents all over are preparing themselves for Halloween. Crazy costumes, long walks, and the inevitable sugar rush from the night’s overwhelming candy score. Trick-or-treating is an essential Halloween tradition, but are all the negatives, like tooth decay and cavities, associated with candy a required part of the tradition too? If you are like most parents, you are not just thinking about the fun your child will have on Halloween, but also how all the candy might affect their dental health. While it is true that candy is generally not good for teeth, there are choices you can make that significantly decrease the effects candy can have on your child’s teeth.
Check out this list of the worst and best Halloween candy for your child’s teeth, as well as ways to protect their oral health during this holiday season.
Sticky, chewy candy is the worst enemy of teeth. The sticky nature of these candies helps it create a sticky residue around and in between teeth. This residue creates ideal conditions for the bacteria that cause cavities and tooth decay. The sticky nature of this residue also makes it more difficult to remove it from your teeth, even with regular brushing.
Gummy candy works similarly to other sticky candies. The sugary film coating teeth is harder to remove so it stays on teeth longer. This gives bacteria more time to create the acid that causes tooth decay.
These candies are not only usually sticky or gummy, but they often also have an extra layer of sugar coated around the outside. The onslaught of sugar and stickiness of the candy is then coupled with an extra dose of acid. Sour candies use acids to aid in creating their sour flavor. These acids help to contribute the acids bacteria in your mouth create to hasten the effects of tooth decay.
Hard candy can be a culprit on Halloween due to its ability to break teeth. Some candies can be so hard that when bitten they can actually break the hard surface of teeth or crack an entire tooth. Avoiding biting hard candies can also lead to problems. These candies take a long time to dissolve in the mouth. Because they stay in the mouth for extended periods of time the sugar in these candies mixes with saliva. This allows sugars to coat teeth over and over again while the candy is dissolving.
When it comes to candy there are some choices that are better than others for your child’s dental health. This list details which candies are the healthiest for teeth to help you make the best choices for your family.
The best candy for teeth? Anything without sugar. There are now lots of options for sugar-free candies that are readily available at local markets. These candies come in lots of varieties, from hard candies to gummies to your favorite chocolate confections. Sugar-free candies are usually made with xylitol, a sugar-free sweetener. These candies don’t coat the teeth in the sticky, bacteria laden substance that promotes tooth decay and cavities and so are much healthier for teeth.
Xylitol gum is gum made with the sugar-free sweetener xylitol. There are many flavors of xylitol gum easily available. Chewing xylitol gum is not only a substitute for sugar loaded candy or gum, but studies have shown that chewing xylitol gum for 20 minutes after eating can actually help to clean your mouth of leftover food particles and bacteria that cause tooth decay.
When considering classic candy types, chocolate is one of the best bets for teeth. It is soft, which helps avoid direct tooth damage, and dissolves quickly so the sugars don’t stay in the mouth for too long.
If you’re looking to make this choice even better, try sticking with dark chocolate. It usually contains less sugar than its milky counterpart, and has tannins and antioxidants. Dark chocolate also contains theobromine, a compound that can help to strengthen tooth enamel.
Protecting dental health doesn’t mean avoiding the joys of Halloween altogether. In addition to making smart choices about candies, there are other things you can do to make sure your family has a smile-friendly Halloween.
Halloween night may end late, but that doesn’t mean you should skip the nightly brushing routine. It’s imperative that teeth are thoroughly cleaned after eating candy, and especially before going to bed. At night, saliva production decreases and the bacteria in the mouth has plenty of time to feast on the sugars that remain on teeth. Brushing rids the mouth of the sugary residue on teeth, so bacteria doesn’t have the fuel it needs to create cavities.
Flossing allows you to reach the places brush bristles can’t go. Make sure to floss after eating Halloween candy to clean all the areas between and around teeth where sugar may be lurking.
Drinking water throughout Halloween night not only helps keep your child hydrated, but also helps to wash out their mouth. Water will help to clean away leftover food particles and sugar in the mouth and around teeth.
Making sure your family has good dental routines and habits all year long is the best way to ensure their oral health. Brushing twice daily, flossing regularly, enjoying a healthy diet with limited sugars, and regular dental check-ups is the best way to protect teeth and mouths.
The Downey Dental team wants to help your family have healthy smiles for a lifetime. Schedule an appointment today to find out how we can help make that happen!
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