Halloween is just around the corner. It is a time for costumes, parties, and of course, the best season for those with a huge sweet tooth. Trick-or-treating can turn into a nightmare for parents and dentists alike. Rather than filling the neighborhood children and your own family with some of the most destructive candies out there, invest in the sweets that are healthier for your teeth. This will save you a trip to the pediatric dentist with a mouth full of cavities. Enjoy the season, but be smart about it. There are Halloween candies that are better for kid’s teeth. Keep reading to find out more!
The best candies
The candies that are better for your kid’s teeth are those that don’t stick in your mouth for long. Anything that is sticky or seems to last longer than you expected could be doing more damage to your teeth than you realize. When the sugars have a long time to rest on your teeth, they begin to eat away at the enamel, causing cavities.
Even after eating the best Halloween candies for your teeth, rinse your mouth thoroughly with a large glass of water. Make sure to get as much of the candy off your teeth as possible immediately after eating. Some people believe that brushing immediately after eating the candy is the best way to maintain healthy teeth, but this could be doing more damage. Wait at least a half hour after when your enamel is back in its healthier form. This will prevent your toothbrush from doing even more damage.
Take a trip down memory lane with a list of your favorite nostalgic sweets from Eat Rotten: The Age of The Fresh Prince, Charlie’s Angels, and the Spice Girls!
Sugar-free gum
Be wary of giving this out into every trick-or-treater’s basket. Only give gum to children who are old enough to chew it. Rather than cause problems like some of the other candies, this will actually help to prevent cavities.
Sugar-free gum is a great thing to chew after eating the sweets. It can help stop the negative effects of sugared treats but neutralizing them. Indulge a little, just chew some gum after. Not only will this protect your teeth, but keep your breath fresh as well.
Powdered candy
Although these Halloween treats are made of pure sugar and maybe a little coloring, they are better for your teeth than some of the other sticky options. The benefit to these sweets is that they don’t linger on the teeth. A quick drink of water will wash down the sugars, preventing them from causing oral health problems.
Chocolate
The number one Halloween candy is chocolate. Everybody loves a good chocolate bar, but try and get the types that are the better for your teeth. In most cases, the plain chocolates are the best. When adding in nuts, nougat, caramel, or a number of other fillings, they can get stuck in the teeth, causing more damage.
Despite the sugar content, chocolate is actually good for your all-around health when eaten in reasonable quantities. Take advantage of the calcium, which can serve as protection for your teeth. To prevent even small amounts of damage, freeze your chocolate bars before eating, making them less likely to stick to your teeth.
Enjoy this Halloween season, but still be cautious when it comes to the health of your teeth. Invest in the candy that will do the least amount of damage to your teeth and is better for kid’s teeth. Remember, you can use your leftover Halloween Candy to make some yummy desserts!
Visit Stevenson Pediatric Dentistry for info on maintaining healthy teeth.
