Best and Worst Halloween Candy for Your Teeth
While we all know that candy is not so good for our dental health, there is a difference. Here, we take a look at just which types of candy may do the worst damage and which may be easier to indulge in during trick or treat time.
The best and worst Halloween candy for your teeth
Best Types of Candy
- Chocolate since it washes off teeth faster
- Candy bars with nuts since the nuts help break up stickiness
- Powdery candy like Pixy Stix as the powder dissolves quickly
- Gum sweetened with Xylitol as it stimulates saliva to help clean teeth
Worst Types of Candy
- Sticky, chewy, and gummy candy because it sticks in teeth longer and can be difficult to remove
- Sour candy since the excess acid erodes our tooth enamel
- Hard candy because it can possibly break our teeth, takes longer to dissolve and the sugar it contains stays around longer
- Popcorn balls since they tend to stick between teeth
Why Candy is Bad for your Teeth
The negative effects of candy really depend on the type of candy and how you take care of your teeth after eating it. The problem is when sugar is allowed to sit in your teeth for extended periods of time, it can lead to enamel erosion and tooth decay. Here are a few suggestions for trick-or-treaters to enjoy candy while trying to avoid cavities:
- Eat candy in one sitting each day to limit the time sugar sits in your mouth
- Rinse your mouth with water after eating candy
- Wait 30 minutes, then brush your teeth
- Make regular checkup appointments with your friends at Longmeadow Family Dental Care