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You want your family to enjoy great oral health year-round. Which is why you might be concerned about the scary tricks that some popular sweets can play on your teeth and gums.
Our dentists want you to know that indulging in treats on Halloween night probably won’t do too much damage if you’re brushing and flossing every day. It’s part of the holiday fun! However, if you want to make smart choices, here’s a roundup of the best and worst candies for your teeth.
Chocolate
One of the best sweets that you can have on Halloween is also one of the most popular. We’re talking about chocolate. It doesn’t stay in your mouth for long and washes off your teeth easily.
Dark chocolate is better than milk chocolate because it contains less sugar. It’s also a fairly good source of antioxidants. However, avoid chocolate with nuts if you are wearing braces.
Sugarless Gum
While not exactly candy, sugarless gum might satisfy your craving for something sweet. Sugarless gums are often sweetened with artificial sugars that do not cause cavities. Plus, chewing on a stick of sugar-free gum helps wash away food and neutralize acids in your mouth.
Sugar-free candies are also becoming easy to find. These options are often better for your teeth than their sugar-filled counterparts. However, they may still contain ingredients like citric acid.
Sour Candy
Speaking of citric acid, you’ll find it in most of the candies that make your mouth pucker. Other acids in these zing-inducing sweets include ones like malic acid, tartaric acid, and fumaric acid.
These acids can erode tooth enamel. Additionally, they can temporarily irritate your mouth.
Hard Candy
Hard candy poses a few threats to your oral health. For one thing, it stays in your mouth longer than most sweets, giving it more time to cause harm to your teeth and gums. And if you bite down on it the wrong way, it can chip or crack your tooth, which may be a dental emergency.
Chewy Candy
Gummy and sticky candies are some of the worst options. They cling to your teeth and are hard to remove without brushing and flossing. That gives them more time to cause tooth damage.
Schedule Your Next Dental Appointment
Is it time for your dental checkup? Call one of the following four office locations to schedule your next visit: Hillsborough: 402-307-6227, Village Pointe: 402-505-7474, Ralston Square: 402-307-6215, or Dundee: 402-307-6244.