Everyone knows how harmful sugar can be to teeth. That’s because the bacteria that causes plaque feeds off the sugars in your mouth. Eat a lot of sugar and you’re likely to have a lot of plaque. Plaque leads to tooth decay and gum disease, leading to expensive repairs or cosmetic dentistry down the road.
Eating sugar in moderation is okay. However, with Halloween just around the corner, kids everywhere will be eating more sugary treats than normal, which will undoubtedly lead to an increase in cavities. Now, we’re not saying you should skip Halloween altogether. Just know which candies are better for your teeth and limit the ones that cause more tooth decay.
Ask any dentist and we’re sure most will agree that certain types of candy are worse for your teeth than others are. Here are a few:
Chewy treats – Chewy candy such as Tootsie Rolls, gum, Milk Duds and taffy can stick to teeth and cause tooth decay if left to linger. They get stuck between teeth where saliva can’t wash it away, leaving your teeth and gums vulnerable.
Sour candy – Sour candy is some of the worst you can eat. It delivers a double whammy to those thinking they are doing right by brushing their teeth after eating the pucker-inducing treats. Sour candy contains acid which erodes tooth enamel. If you brush your teeth right after eating it, you’re actually swirling around the acid left behind, which damages the other teeth in your mouth.
Hard candy – Besides the obvious risk of broken and chipped teeth, hard candy contains high amounts of sugar that stays within the mouth for several minutes at a time due to the candy’s long-lasting nature. This gives sugar more time to feed plaque and damage teeth.
While all candy carries the risk of contributing to tooth decay in some capacity, there are candy choices that are better than the ones listed above. These types of candy do not stick to teeth and often contain natural sugars, which do not promote tooth decay. These better candy choices dissolve quickly and can be washed away easily by saliva. Good candy choices for your teeth include:
As you go through your child’s Halloween haul, be mindful of the types of candy she/he will be eating and set limits for how much they can eat in order to preserve your child's dental health. Their teeth will thank you for it!. For more information, contact Dr. Richard C. Caven today.