Even though you can get pretty much any candy you want any time of year, there is something about Halloween candy that makes it irresistible. Adults and kids indulge again and again, not just on October 31, and that overabundance of sweet stuff is dangerous for teeth. Keep in mind the dos and don’ts of Halloween candy-eating from your Johns Creek dentist and you can enjoy the holiday without being haunted by a toothache, or worse.
Don’t eat the sticky, chewy candy.
Gummy worms, taffy, candy apples – it’s all so yummy, and all so threatening to your teeth. Some of the stickiest candies and Halloween treats can damage dental restorations, like fillings and porcelain crowns, sometimes pulling them out completely. These sweets cling to tooth enamel and create a sugary bath that increases the risk of tooth decay.
Do eat chocolate.
When it comes to candy, chocolate is one of the kindest sweets to your teeth. Soft chocolate bars and peanut butter cups don’t adhere to teeth with the same kind of strength as other candies. There is still plenty of sugar in chocolate though, so everything in moderation. And watch out for the bars that come stuffed with nuts or caramel or nougat – all ingredients that can do a number on your fangs.
Don’t eat hard candy.
Lollipops, jawbreakers, hard candies – they may seem innocent, but you might as well eat candy after candy after candy for 20 or 30 minutes, or as long as it takes to finish one of these sweets. Hard candy means a concentrated amount of sugar exposure for a long time, and that is as dangerous as any chewy candy. If you choose to bite into the hard candy because you’re ready to be done or you just can’t help yourself, you’re also putting yourself at risk for cracking or breaking a tooth.
Do eat a lot of candy at one time.
If you’re trying to decide between two candies, knowing full well that you’ll end up eating both eventually, just go ahead and indulge in both at the same time. If you’re going to chow down on candy, might as well get that sugar shower over with all at once instead of dousing your teeth at one time and then again a little later with no brushing or rinsing in between – that’s more dangerous for your teeth than one intense candy hit at one time.
Do surrender your sweets.
At Family & Cosmetic Dental Care in Suwanee, we run a Halloween Candy Buyback on behalf of Operation Gratitude every year. This is an opportunity for kids (and grown-ups) to donate their extra, unwanted, and unopened candy haul, earn a few bucks in return, protect their teeth from too much junk, and satisfy the American troops overseas with some candy treats.
Do see your dentist regularly.
Your dentist doesn’t want to ruin your Halloween fun, so if you’ve gotta have a certain kind of candy, think carefully, eat carefully, and brush and floss well as soon as possible. Then make sure your next visit to Johns Creek dentist Dr. Mitul Patel and his team for a checkup and cleaning is on your calendar.
