It’s late October and Halloween is on the mind. Most of us are looking forward to Trick-or-Treating, so let’s talk candy and how to keep treats from playing mean tricks on your teeth!
The worst Halloween candies are the ones that stick to your teeth. Things like caramels, gummies, and taffy cling to the teeth and are hard to remove. As the sugar sits on your teeth, it’s feeding the bacteria in your mouth and producing enamel-eroding acids. Then there’s the sour candies… sour candies contain acidic ingredients to give them the sour taste, so they already contain acids before the bacteria even get to work on them. Of course, sour candies and that are also sticky and chewy are the worst of the worst.
The best candies are sugar-free hard candies and gum, especially if they use xylitol as the sweetener. Xylitol has an anti-cavity effect. Plain chocolate is also a fairly good choice. Chocolate melts and washes off the teeth more easily than most other sugary Halloween-night goodies.
It is a good idea is to eat candy at meal times or in one limited sitting and follow it by drinking plenty of water to rinse and wash off the teeth. The more frequently you eat candy, the more often you would introduce sugar to the bacteria that love to turn it into acid, so the idea is to keep those times few and far between rather than constantly grazing over the day.
Thanks to the bacteria that live in your mouth, sugar can be hard on your teeth, but you don’t have to avoid all treats! Just be moderate and smart about it, and take great care of your teeth with an impeccable home hygiene routine and regular dental visits. Dr. Vanci and the Mall of Georgia Dentistry team want all our patients and friends to have a really smiley Halloween!
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