Keeping Your Child’s Teeth Healthy and Happy This Halloween
Trick or Teeth! Halloween can play some major tricks on your child’s teeth if you’re not careful. We don’t discourage anyone from treating their sweet tooth this time of year, but we want to help make Halloween not so scary for parents who care about their children’s oral health.
What Is The Worst Candy For My Child’s Teeth?
We can all agree that candy simply isn’t good for teeth, but some candies are worse than others – especially if your child has braces. Here’s our list of the “scariest” candies most likely to give your dentist nightmares:
- Sticky, Chewy, or Gummy Candy- Beware of sticky candy! The stickier the food is, the longer it will adhere to your child’s teeth and the more likely it is to be left behind, even after brushing. This gives bacteria more time to do their dirty work, making your child’s teeth more prone to cavities the longer candy is stuck in between your child’s teeth.
- Sour or Acidic Candy- It’s the tart and tangy candy that seems to be all fun and games until they break down enamel and create lasting damage to your teeth. Sour Patch Kids, War Heads, Air Heads, Sour Punch Straws, and other sour candies can make your child more prone to tooth decay due to the acids breaking down their tooth enamel.
- Hard Candy- Hard candies like Jolly Ranchers and Tootsie Roll Pops are bad for your teeth due to the amount of time that it takes to suck on the candy before it’s gone. Your child’s teeth are essentially swimming in sugar for an extended period of time, which means an increased risk of tooth decay.
Treat Your Child’s Sweet Tooth At Meal Time
The best time for your child to indulge in their sweet treats is following their lunch or dinner. This is when saliva production is the highest. The increase in saliva does your teeth a favor by preventing acid buildup along with rinsing away food particles.