According to CandyStore.com, reindeer corn (Christmas-themed candy corn in red, green, and white) is the most popular candy in the state of Georgia. Bafflingly though, this candy is also number three on the site’s tally of “absolute worst Christmas candy.” Whatever your personal preference when it comes to Christmas candy, our only concern is this – what is it doing to your teeth?
Christmas Candy Most-Disliked by Consumers
Without further ado, here are the top 10 “worst” Christmas candies as ranked by CandyStore customers – and a dental opinion about how much havoc they can wreak on your oral health:
- Christmas tree nougat: Some people call them poker chips, others call them just plain disgusting. Dentists consider these sticky, chewy nougats as kryptonite for your restorative dentistry. If there is anything that can pull out a filling, damage a crown, or rip off a sealant faster, we’d like to know about it. Tread carefully if you must pop these pepperminty confections.
- Cherry cordials: Chocolate and cherries are wonderful, but not as a combo, according to survey respondents. They’re mostly freaked out by the watery substance that oozes out along with the cherry if you bite into the candy. Be careful with that gooey sticky stuff.
- Reindeer corn: Tiny pieces of candy that are easy to eat all day long, reindeer corn seems like an innocuous treat. Snacking and snacking exposes your teeth to sugar over and over, and sometimes these little treats can get stuck in crevices and resist coming out.
- Peeps: You either love them or you hate them, but Peeps marshmallow snowmen and trees and other wintery characters are sticky and coated in sugar. They can latch onto your tooth enamel too, or your cosmetic dentistry, though their lightness makes them slightly less dangerous than heavier candies.
- LifeSavers story books: Once a staple in most kids’ Christmas stockings, LifeSavers story books are apparently no longer popular and just make people sad. They make dentists sad too – sucking on hard candy all day long is a sugar bath for your tooth enamel. That’s not good for preventing decay and cavities.
- White peppermint M&Ms: No one likes this variation on the traditional M&Ms. If you’re choosing a candy to eat, chocolate all day long is better for your teeth than other kinds of sweets – note that white peppermint M&Ms are made with white chocolate (which isn’t really chocolate at all but mostly sugar) – because it washes off your teeth more easily than other types of sweets.
- Peppermint bark: Soft and crunchy, smooth and sharp – consumers are divided on peppermint bark. We’re just saying: If you’re going with a crisp candy, we hope that first bite doesn’t break a tooth.
- Old-fashioned hard candy mix: This candy might remind you of holiday visits to Grandma’s house but, just like the LifeSavers, it’s a no-no if you’re sucking on it all day and showering your teeth with sugar. Crunching into a piece of hard candy is dangerous and could crack a tooth too.
- Non-Peppermint candy canes: They might look pretty, but those multi-colored candy canes are apparently not too hot with the candy crowd. We object to the long-lasting nature of any flavor of candy canes, the temptation to bite into them, and the sugar they deposit on your teeth.
- Ribbon candy: It’s pretty, but it’s a nightmare to try to eat, and then it really isn’t any good for your teeth.
Take Good Care of Your Oral Health
Make smart choices about your Christmas candy eating. Think about what could happen with your teeth before you dig in and, most of all, brush and floss as soon as possible after a major noshing session. At the very least, drink water and swish it around your mouth if you don’t have cleaning tools handy.
Time for your teeth cleaning? Damage your tooth with a wonky bite of candy? Schedule an appointment with Dr. Mitul Patel at Family & Cosmetic Dental Care in Johns Creek.
