It’s Spooky Season

It’s that time of year again. Your neighborhood has begun to mimic the latest horror movie, and your children are counting down the days until the inevitable sugar rush. You may or may not be looking forward to this. Halloween and trick-or-treating come with memories, sure; but what are all of these sugar-packed sweets doing to their teeth?

Though sugar might be sweet to eat, your teeth might not thank you for it! Sugar has a habit of changing into a sort of acid when it mixes with our saliva, eating away at the enamel, creating the perfect resting place for bacteria to settle in and create cavities and tooth decay. Now that you know this, you might want to think twice before handing out those sugar-saturated sweets this Halloween.

1. Gruesome Gummies

Gummy candies take some time to chew, giving the sugars plenty of time to hide in every hard-to-reach area they can find, settling in for future disaster. But the sugar content isn’t the only problematic part! These gooey candies can also pull at fillings or crowns, potentially destroying any previous work that has been done.

If you or your kiddos do indulge in these sticky treats this Halloween, be sure to brush and floss those teeth as soon as possible! Remember, you don’t want all of those sugars to hook their claws in and hide out like bats in those cavity caves.

2. Lurking Lollipops

When compared to gummy candies, lollipops might not seem like a bad option. Even though they aren’t gooey and (typically) don’t get trapped between the teeth, they usually take some time to eat. This gives all of those sugars plenty of time to find their preferred hiding places.

3. Sour Spell

Sour candies are a favorite for many children (or even children at heart). The way they pucker up your face adds to the sugar-filled excitement of the treat. But that sour twinge causes all sorts of damage to the mouth. Sour candies are very acidic, completely wrecking the natural pH level of the mouth. This weakens the enamel, creating an easy space for all of that sugar to jump in and do its worst.

4. Bizarre Popcorn Balls

Popcorn balls can be just a little sneaky when it comes to the teeth. When you eat them, those corn kernels tend to break apart, shoving those thin little shells between the teeth. These unwelcome visitors can be uncomfortable, and make you reach for the floss. But sometimes, they can go unnoticed, pressed up against the enamel of neighboring teeth for an extended period of time. Over time, this will create pain, and even add to the breakdown of enamel.

5. Horrifying Hard Candy

There are two ways to eat hard candy. First, you suck on it until it finally disappears. The chances of tooth decay go up the longer your teeth are exposed to sugary substances, and this certainly falls under that category. The second way to eat hard candy would be to bite into it. This dramatically increases the chance of breaking or chipping those precious teeth! Don’t do it!

Optimal Options

We don’t want you to panic about keeping those teeth happy and healthy this Halloween. It’s not all bad news! There are still some sweet options your children can enjoy without affecting their teeth quite as much. We also have a whole list of trick-or-treating alternatives for you and your family!

Charming Chocolate

You probably didn’t expect chocolate to end up on this list. But it’s true! As long as your kiddos indulge in moderation, of course. Chocolate dissolves quickly, which means the saliva can easily wash away the majority of that sugar from those teeth. But as with everything, be sure they brush those teeth after consuming sugary treats!

Sugar-Free Sweets

Finding some tasty sweets that aren’t filled with sugar is certainly the best option! When preparing your little one’s Halloween baskets, run to your local health food store and see what you can find. One appetizing option is Zollipops. Not only are they sugar-free, but they are entirely allergy friendly, and are made without any dyes!

Take care of those teeth!

This Halloween season, we hope you are able to soak in all of those memories with your family, all while keeping an eye on those teeth. Always remember, if you have any questions about your child’s oral health, or if you need to make an appointment, you can do so by filling out our appointment form. We are here to keep those teeth shining bright!