With the month of October comes Halloween, and we promise not to be complete scrooges. If you have children, taking them trick or treating and having lots of candy is part of the Halloween process. While your kids and you (yes, you-I know you eat that candy too) enjoy it, here are a few tips to keep in mind to prevent cavities.
Sticky chewy candy, like caramel, taffy, gummy bears, and dried fruit are the worst. They stick to the chewing surface and in between the teeth. The general rule is that the stickier the candy, the worse it is for your teeth. A survey by Delta Dental states that 57 percent of kids eat chewy candy at Halloween.
The ever popular candy corn has a lot of sugar that produces acid that breaks down your teeth.
Also, sour flavored candy has high acid levels that eat away at tooth enamel.
Hard candies such as peppermints or jolly ranchers sit in your mouth a long time, drenching it with sugar.
Chocolate and peanut butter cups are better because they dissolve and don’t stick to the teeth.
The best prevention of all is to bring all of your candy to me, and I will take care of it for you. If not, then enjoy the candy, but be sure to brush and floss after you enjoy it to prevent cavities from forming. If you are unable to brush and floss, at least rinse off your teeth with a glass of water.
Have a wonderful October,
Dr. Rachel
Sticky chewy candy, like caramel, taffy, gummy bears, and dried fruit are the worst. They stick to the chewing surface and in between the teeth. The general rule is that the stickier the candy, the worse it is for your teeth. A survey by Delta Dental states that 57 percent of kids eat chewy candy at Halloween.
The ever popular candy corn has a lot of sugar that produces acid that breaks down your teeth.
Also, sour flavored candy has high acid levels that eat away at tooth enamel.
Hard candies such as peppermints or jolly ranchers sit in your mouth a long time, drenching it with sugar.
Chocolate and peanut butter cups are better because they dissolve and don’t stick to the teeth.
The best prevention of all is to bring all of your candy to me, and I will take care of it for you. If not, then enjoy the candy, but be sure to brush and floss after you enjoy it to prevent cavities from forming. If you are unable to brush and floss, at least rinse off your teeth with a glass of water.
Have a wonderful October,
Dr. Rachel
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