Treats That Aren’t So Bad for Your Smile

First of all, remember that you can have something sweet without coating your teeth in refined sugar. Try a frozen fruit snack that is made with actual fruit. This may not be something you can give out at the door, but at least you can have one or two to calm your craving as you see all the candy changing hands.

Next, you may consider salty treats over sweet ones. This is a great time to treat yourself to some pretzels or popcorn instead of the usual holiday fare. It’s still a nice treat, and you’ll still have to floss those popcorn kernels out from between your teeth, but at least there isn’t any sugar.

Finally, get some sugar-free treats like certain brands of gum or lollipops. They may use artificial sweeteners (which also are not great for your teeth), but at least they aren’t loaded with sugar. Plus, gum and hard candies cause a person to salivate. This keeps the mouth from drying out and delays the amount of time it takes for plaque to harden into tartar.

If you absolutely have to have chocolate, dark chocolate is the best for you. It has less sugar than white or milk chocolate, and many enjoy the flavor of dark chocolate more anyway. Just avoid chocolate that has a chewy filling such as caramel. If you have to have a filling in your chocolate, go for a peanut butter cup. That’s probably the least of the evils as far as your teeth are concerned.

Treats to Avoid

Now that you have a list of things to enjoy, here are a couple of things to make sure you avoid. First of all, stay away from sticky treats such as caramel and taffy. Also, avoid large, hard candies like jawbreakers. They should really call them “toothbreakers.” Gummy candies are also high in sugar and stick in the teeth making them a recipe for cavities.

However, as always, enjoy your time with loved ones and snack safely!

The post The Best Halloween Treats for Your Teeth appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

The general rule of thumb is to avoid candy that is hard or chewy. Even though most candy contains a lot of sugar, candy that melts or dissolves in the mouth quickly is less of a threat to dental health. Chewy candies like caramels or gummies stick to the teeth, allowing the sugar to stay in the mouth longer. The longer the sugar is there, the more opportunity bacteria have to breed. Gummy candy is very popular, but unfortunately, it’s one of the worst candies for the teeth.

Hard candy is bad too, no matter how a person enjoys it. Sucking on a hard candy allows sugar to hang around in the mouth for a long time, while chewing hard candy can break or crack the teeth. Pieces of it tend to stick to the teeth as well, giving bacteria a feeding ground.

Chocolate, without nuts, is a reasonably safe choice for the teeth. It’s easy to chew, it melts away in the mouth quickly, and the calcium it contains is actually good for the teeth. It does contain a lot of sugar, so it should be eaten in moderation.

The safest Halloween candy is sugar-free candy or gum, particularly if it contains the artificial sweetener xylitol. Xylitol has been shown to reduce acids that can damage the teeth. Chewing sugar-free gum increases saliva production, which also helps to wash away acids.
Washing away acids can also be accomplished by rinsing with water after eating candy. It’s best to only eat candy in small amounts, and at limited times, like after meals as a dessert or at regular snack times.

Limit the consumption of these harmful candies and make your dentist smile. Your own smile will thank you for it!

Happy Halloween!

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