Helpful Halloween Candy Guide

Halloween is just around the corner and with it comes pumpkin carving, costume shopping, and trick-or-treating! Here at Meadows Family Dentistry, we love everything about Halloween, but find the sugar overload to be just a little too spooky.

While we would never suggest that you and your children avoid the holiday altogether, there are a few ways in which you can help make sure that your Halloween holiday is celebrated in the healthiest way possible.

Helpful Halloween Candy Guide

There’s no candy that is “good” for your child’s teeth. However, there are certain types of candy that will do less damage than the rest. Below is a candy guide to use when helping ration your child’s Halloween candy:

• Chocolate – When it comes to Halloween candy, chocolate is your best bet. This is because chocolate melts off of the teeth quickly, reducing the amount of time the teeth are exposed to the sugar. Dark chocolate is an especially good choice as it contains less sugar than milk or white chocolate.
• Gummy or Sticky Candy – Sticky and gummy candies can be one of the most harmful because the candy sticks to the teeth, increasing the exposure of the sugar to the vulnerable tooth enamel.
• Popcorn Balls – Popcorn balls may be full of un-popped popcorn kernels. Biting into a popcorn ball could chip, break, or crack the teeth. Additionally, popcorn is notorious for becoming lodged between the teeth, causing damage to the gums. If your child eats popcorn balls this year, make sure you have plenty of floss on hand.
• Sour Candies – Because sour candy is highly acidic, they’re more likely to break down or weaken the tooth enamel. This will cause your child’s teeth to become more susceptible to tooth decay and dental cavities.

From everyone here at Meadows Family Dental, we want to wish you and your family a Happy Halloween, no matter how you choose to celebrate the holiday. To schedule a post-Halloween dental cleaning and checkup, please contact our Castle Rock, Colorado family dental office today.