Dentist Approved Candy | Halloween Recommendation

Halloween is always tons of fun for you, but what about your teeth?Putting on your favorite costume and wandering around the neighborhood in search of the best candy is always a blast. Sugar, of course, is delicious after all. But, sugar can also cause havoc for your teeth in the form of bacteria. Something to consider if you love candy but don't want the harmful effects of sugar on your teeth's enamel are good compromises in eating candy that has the minimal potential of causing cavities.We don't want to be a buzzkill on Halloween as we, even as a leading Colorado Springs dentist, love the spirit of Halloween, but we also love strong healthy teeth. So we put together this guide on the best candy on Halloween to reduce the effect of damage to your teeth.

Candy To Avoid Tooth Damage

Subconsciously you probably understand, but we want to say it anyway. Stay away from candy that is sticky or hard. Hard candy, because it takes a long time to dissolve and breakdown within your mouth. This will expose your teeth to sugar for longer periods of time. As for sticky or chewy candy, this is the ultimate buffet for the bacteria in your mouth.Sticky candy attaches to the surfaces of your teeth and gets in between the spaces, gumlines and more. A poor combo for tooth decay and rot.You will also want to avoid sour candy like sour patch kids. The acids in these types of candy can deteriorate your enamel also. Combine any of the above varieties of candy and you might be asking to visit the dentist, sooner than later.

Better For Your Teeth Candy Choices

You might be thinking, "What's left?", but the truth is not all candy is all bad for your mouth. In fact, some can be downright healthy. Candy bars are an easy go-to for an alternative to hard, sour or chewy candy. Focus on candy bars with nuts (the healthy part) granted you are not allergic of course.The nuts act as a natural grinder that breaks down the sticky parts of the candy bars and can actually remove it from deep crevasses in your teeth due to its gritty nature, and from there they are rich in plant proteins which help your teeth get stronger.The chocolate itself is on the better end of the candy destruction scale for your teeth. With darker chocolates being the best in this category for having less sugar and more anti-oxidants. The compounds within chocolate actually limit bacteria in the mouth, fights stinky breath and slows the decay of teeth. Pretty cool!The best option for still eating candy on Halloween and protecting your teeth is candy with xylitol. Basically the sugar-free stuff but sweetened with xylitol. These types of candy are not as widely popular as of yet, but eating this candy will reduce the harmful effects of bad bacteria in your mouth.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELiDupX4YQ8

In Conclusion

We love Halloween and we want you to have a good time. With that in mind, if you follow good dental practices such as regular brushing and dentist office visits you will be in great shape to handle the massive onslaught of Halloween sweets.

• Drink lots of water after a candy binge
• Eat your truckload of candy at once, avoid all-day snacking, but don't get a stomach ache. You know yourself, listen to your body.
• Brush after candy, but wait about a half-hour to do so
• More questions? Ask your dentist. We love our patients and would love to answer questions to help you and your kid's smiles.