Halloween Candy: How to Avoid Dental Damage During Halloween
For many people, Halloween is unabashedly the candy season.
92% of people over the age of 20 have at least one cavity.
When people are susceptible to cavities to this extent, candies can only aggravate the problem.
During this time of the year, people eat Halloween candy at night, after waking up, and between meals.
Over Excessive consumption of Halloween candy gives sufficient time for dental damage, causing bacteria to come into action.
In this blog, we will explain why you need to control family members, especially kids, from submitting to their cravings for sweets.
The Halloween Candy Obsession
Before we start on the dental damage caused by candy, let's see how we are turning into sugar monsters.
An estimated $2.6 billion, or $25.37 per person, is spent on candy by Americans each year, according to the National Retail Federation. Furthermore, it has been stated that the usual Halloween candy collection can include as many as 7,000 calories, or around 28 hamburgers, 25 pizza slices, or 36 chocolate donuts.
Just imagine your kiddo who doesn't have permission to eat candy the whole year and takes so many calories in one go.
Are you thinking kids' baby teeth will be replaced anyway, so it's okay for them to bite on Halloween candy?
Let us burst this myth right there!
If tooth decay and cavities are not addressed, they will worsen and harm your jaw's nerves and bone structure.
Cavities can cause irreversible harm even if they may initially appear in infant teeth and get passed onto adult teeth.
Taking good care of your child's teeth shouldn't be overlooked!
Halloween Candy: Why it is Infamous Among Parents
In general, parents always tell their kids not to consume too much candy a day because of the lack of nutritional benefits.
The sugar in a candy is the real culprit for the bad reputation.
Having too much sugar as a child can cause:
Weight gain
Cavities in the teeth
Elevated blood pressure
Diabetes
Illnesses of the heart
Kids will not understand the importance of foods that promote healthy growth if they keep eating candies all day.
Less than 10% of calories should come from eating or drinking added sugars.
Read More: 10 Surprising Foods That Can Damage Your Teeth
How to Limit Sugar Intake in Children to Prevent Dental Damage
No specific number exists to prove how much Halloween candy will not cause dental damage to a child.
It's not always possible to stop a child from eating candy.
So, there are some natural ways to limit the sugar intake without forcing:
1.Stop Giving it as a Reward
Candy should not be used as a reward or incentive or labelled as good or bad.
According to the experts, this can add value to the Halloween candy and cause problems for the child later in life.
Instead, make healthy foods enjoyable.
For example, you can carve a pepper into the shape of a jack-o'-lantern or turn a clementine into a pumpkin by peeling it and placing a green jellybean on top.
Other activities that help detract from Halloween candy include costume contests, pumpkin painting, and other crafts.
2.Be an Example for Them
A child will believe that it's okay to snack on candy if they witness an adult eating candy or sneaking candy on a regular basis.
3.Promote Conscious Eating
It's important to ensure your child pays attention to their body's signals, including when it's hungry and when to stop eating particular foods.
You can tell them they eat candy, but eating too much may make them sick.
Balance Holiday Fun: Good and Bad Halloween Candy
In this section, we will go through the good Halloween candy for your teeth.
Furthermore, the good candies will also be mentioned so the kids get to eat the candy that is good for them.
Worse Halloween Candies
Let's go over the Halloween candy that can turn your kid's mouth into a minefield:
1.Sticky Candy
This is the front runner on the list of bad or worst Halloween candy.
Such candy has stubborn components that are hard to remove from the teeth.
These stubborn particles become the food for the bacteria, leading them to increase in number rapidly.
When a sticky candy has dried fruits, the negative effects become twofold.
If you think a sticky candy with dried fruit will do any good to the kid's teeth, give them fresh fruit.
Example: Taffy, Caramels, and Gummies
Practices to Minimize Effect
Rinsing the mouth after consumption, brushing, and flossing can prevent dental damage.
2.Hard Candy
When eating hard candies, such as lollipops or candy canes, you suck on the candy for a longer time.
This prolongs the period when sugar is exposed to your teeth.
There's more sugar exposure when you suck on hard candy because your saliva fills with sugar and covers your teeth repeatedly, compared to when you consume a piece of candy rapidly.
The duration of sugar intake is directly correlated with the risk of dental damage.
The likelihood of cavities increases with increased contact with teeth for a long time. Biting down on hard candy, may break or chip the edges of the teeth.
Examples: Breath mints and lozenges
Practices to Minimize Effect
To help avoid dental damage, rinse, chew sugar-free gum, or clean your teeth with good toothpaste right after having a hard candy.
3.Sour Candy
Although sour candy is less popular during Halloween, it is important to discuss the risks it presents to your dental health.
Two things make sour candy dangerous: its high acidity and sugar coating. We've already talked about how bad sugar is for your teeth since it encourages the growth of bacteria that cause cavities.
Too much acidity can also be quite harmful to your teeth. Acids cause tooth enamel to deteriorate, making teeth more vulnerable to breakage and decay.
Children should avoid eating sour candy at all times since it can cause different types of dental damage.
Practices to Minimize Effect
If you can't resist the urge after eating the sour candy, wait 30 minutes before brushing your teeth.
This gives your saliva enough time to neutralize the acidity. If you clean your teeth immediately thereafter, you risk causing further damage by forcing the acid deeper into your teeth.
Best Halloween Candy
Any dentist will tell you that, due to the high sugar content, the best Halloween candy for your teeth is none at all.
When consumed in moderation, any candy has a low risk of dental damage.
So, let them take out one Halloween candy at a time and put the bag out of their sight.
1.Dark Chocolate
It contains heart-healthy antioxidants and polyphenols than milk chocolate, which can help prevent disease and fight free radical damage.
Grab the miniature dark chocolate bars for the neighbourhood kids to give out for trick or treat.
2.Sugarless Gum
Swap the worst Halloween candy with gums that have an ADA seal.
Consuming sugar-free gum for 20 minutes after eating food has been shown in studies to help prevent tooth decay because it increases saliva flow.
That is great for washing away food particles and neutralizing acid created by dental plaque bacteria.
Read More: Your Perfect Smile Destination: Discover the Best Dental Clinic in Waterloo!
Combating Dental Damage After Eating Halloween Candy
Encourage and intensify these good oral hygiene practices to avoid dental damage at all costs.
Taking care of hydration
Eat healthy foods that are good for the teeth.
Clean your teeth gently with a brush twice a day for two minutes
Increase flossing from once a day to twice a day.
Using fluoride mouthwash during Halloween to stave off sugar cravings.
If you notice any signs of dental damage, schedule a dental cleanup.
FAQs
Is it possible to reduce the impact of Halloween candy?
Yes. Drinking water and maintaining good dental hygiene can minimize the dental damage done by sugar.
Which Halloween candy can cause dental damage?
Sticky and chewy candies hide between the teeth, making it impossible for the sugar particles to leave your mouth.
Is sour Halloween candy better than the ones that have sugar?
No. The answer is quite the opposite. Sour candies are high-acidic, causing dental damage.
What gum disease can I get from Halloween candy?
Halloween candy won't cause any gum disease directly. The particles it leaves in your mouth act as the food for bacteria on the gum line, causing gum diseases.
Final Words
Last but not least, anyone can enjoy the flavour of Halloween candy without compromising their oral health.
Keep your eye out for the calorie count and type of the candy.
To monitor your oral health, visit a dentist after Halloween.
By contacting KWC Dental, you can know if you need regular hygiene or restorative procedures.