Halloween is right around the corner, it’s the thriving season of sugary candy consumption. While some candies are okay to eat, some are just downright unhealthy. It’s important to understand what type of of candies can seriously damage your oral health or simply give you a sugar rush. Below are the worst candies to consume this Halloween, which we suggest you avoid at all costs.
Sweet Treats to Avoid
1. Sticky or Chewy Candy
Sticky or chewy candy, such as taffy, dried fruit, or gummies can be hard to resist but they are even harder to remove from your teeth. Plus, they’re a leading cause of tooth decay, sticking in between your teeth, making it hard to brush away.
2. Candy with Caramel and Nuts
Candies that have a high content of nuts, caramel, or coconut are terrible for your teeth and gum health. Candy can end up sticking in between your teeth, making it hard to clean. However, if you consume these kinds of candies, it’s important to brush and floss afterward to avoid cavities down the line.
3. Sour Candy
Sour candies are highly acidic and can quickly break down the enamel of your teeth. Fortunately, your own saliva can help restore the pH balance in your mouth. But, if you end up eating sour candy, we suggest that you brush at least 30 minutes after to avoid any further damage to your oral health.
4. Sugary Foods
Sugary snacks, such as cookies, cake, and candy corn all contain high levels of sugar, which can lead to severe tooth decay. Sugar on your teeth and gums can cause your enamel to break down. It’s important to limit your consumption of these kinds of foods. Remember, the higher sugar content you eat; the greater the risk is for developing cavities.
5. Popcorn Balls
Popcorn balls seem pretty harmless, right? Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. Since popcorn kernels can get stuck in between your teeth and irritate your gums, they are your oral health’s worst nightmare, especially ones that are coated in caramel.
6. Lollipops
Hard candies, like jawbreakers or lollipops, can be incredibly destructive to your oral health. This is because they are high in acidity. Since they don’t stick to your mouth, they take longer to dissolve in your mouth. The longer food stays in your mouth, the more harmful it can become to your teeth and gums.
7. Powdered Candies
Powdered candies like Pixy Stix are not terrible for your teeth, but they still aren’t good for you. Pixy Stix dissolve rather quickly which is better for teeth than most other candies. However, their only ingredient is sugar. When you consume a lot of sugar, it changes your mouth’s pH balance, creating an environment where bacteria can thrive, leading to more cavities.
3 Candies You Can Eat Without Guilt
Before you get too sad reading about all the candies you should avoid, here are three candies that you can eat without guilt.
1. Sugar Free Lollipops and Hard Candy
When you suck on sugar free lollipops or hard candies, your mouth begins to produce more saliva. The saliva helps to remove plaque and food particles that can cause cavities. Plus, there is no sugar in these candies which is one of the major causes of cavities. Additionally, these candies take longer to eat, causing you to feel fuller and consume less.
2. Dark Chocolate
If you are going to eat chocolate, make sure it is dark chocolate. Even though it still contains sugar, the health benefits of dark chocolate outweigh the bad. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants, can lower blood pressure and is good for heart health.
3. Sugar Free Gum
Sugar free gum can actually be good for your teeth, in moderation. Chewing on gum can increase saliva production which decreases plaque buildup. Chewing sugar free gum can also help to dislodge food particles on the teeth which could cause cavities.
Tips to protect your teeth this Halloween
• Brush your teeth quickly after eating candy in addition to your regular twice a day routine
• Don’t overdose on candy, portion sweets that you will eat in one sitting.
• Avoid snacking on candy throughout the day, which can create a prolonged sugar exposure.
• Floss after eating sweets.
• Eat a meal before you eat candy. This way, you will be fuller and less likely to overeat.
