Is All Candy Bad for You?
With Halloween around the corner many parents brace themselves for the inevitable candy attack. It’s a fair concern—after all, sugar and teeth aren’t exactly best friends. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to eliminate candy altogether to keep your kids’ smiles healthy!
Choosing Smarter Treats
Not all candies are created equal when it comes to dental health. Here’s how to pick the best of the bunch:
Avoid gooey, chewy, or sticky sweets. Candies like Skittles, Starbursts, taffy, and even fruit snacks cling to teeth and are tough to brush away. The longer sugar stays on teeth, the greater the chance for cavities to form.
Skip hard candy and suckers. These stay in the mouth for long periods of time, bathing teeth in sugar and increasing the risk of decay.
Choose chocolate-based treats instead. Chocolate—especially milk or dark chocolate—melts quickly and washes away more easily with saliva or a sip of water. Plus, chocolate isn’t acidic, which makes it a much gentler choice for teeth.
And let’s be honest—those chocolate treats are usually the ones we parents like to “inspect” first anyway!
The Takeaway
Candy in moderation is perfectly fine. The key is smart choices, good timing (like eating candy right after meals), and solid oral hygiene habits. Encourage your kids to brush and floss after indulging, and you’ll both get to enjoy the fun of Halloween—without the dental fright!
