Tips for a Healthy Halloween

With Halloween right around the corner, we figured there was no better time than now to go over the best and worst candies for kids to eat when it comes to protecting their pearly white teeth! And while this year will look very different than past years when it comes to trick-or-treating and Halloween parties, the one thing that remains the same is the candy! 

Candy that’s Better for Teeth:

#1 Dark Chocolate

Believe it or not, recent studies have shown that dark chocolate (the kind with at least 70% cocoa) is actually effective at fighting cavities, plaque and tooth decay! 

#2 Candy with Nuts

The hard nuts in the candies and candy bars help reduce the stickiness of candy that tends to increase your chances of getting cavities. Ideally, it’s good to choose candy bars that are low in sugar and contain dark chocolate. 

Candy that’s Worse for Your Teeth:

#1 Sticky Candy

The negative effect of sticky candy is that it sticks to your teeth and increases your chances of getting cavities. 

#2 Lollipops

When it comes to judging how bad candy is for your teeth, the longer it takes to eat it– the worse it is. If you eat candy quickly and then brush your teeth, the harmful effects on your teeth are not as high. That being said, we aren’t suggesting that your kids should never eat lollipops, it just shouldn’t be very frequently.

#3 Sour Candy

Sour candies are very acidic which is bad for your teeth because it wears down the tooth enamel, which keeps your teeth hard and protected. This makes it easier for teeth to become chipped or broken.

We know that your kid’s favorite candies are likely the ones that are not so good for their teeth so here’s a few tips to help combat cavities. Eating halloween candy with meals or shortly after mealtime is better than eating sweets throughout the day. After eating candy, encourage your kids to brush their teeth. If that’s not an option, chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes (if they are old enough to not swallow it) helps reduce tooth decay because the increased saliva flow helps wash out food and neutralize the acid produced by bacteria. Another option would be to drink lots of water!

Visit Your Dentist

Regular visits to your dentist can help prevent problems from occurring and catch cavities and tooth decay early, making them easier to “treat.”