For kids, Halloween means dress-ups and loads of free candy. As dentists, we can’t help but cringe a bit when we see a child’s candy stash. Of course, not all candies are the same. Some have graver health implications. We’ll identify the worst Halloween candy for your teeth and general health.
1. Snickers
Kids and adults alike love Snickers. However, the candy bar has everything that’s bad for your teeth. This includes mounds of sugar, sticky nougat filling, and even stickier caramel. This combination invites tooth decay. Our endodontists especially caution against sticky and sugary treats.
2. Candy Corn
Candy corn is made from gelatin, dextrose, artificial coloring, and sesame oil. The rest of the ingredients? Sugar, honey, and corn syrup. That’s sugar in three different forms!
3. Tootsie Pops
How many licks is required to reach the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop? We don’t know, but it’s a lot, which is why this hard candy is bad for teeth. Candy that spends prolonged periods in your mouth means more sugar for bacteria to feed on.
4. Starburst
Just because Starburst contains natural fruit flavors does not mean its nutritious in any way. While a single Starburst may not seem like a big deal, the sugar content adds up if you consume half or the entire pack.
5. Sour Patch Kids
The fact they’re more sour than sweet does not make this candy less bad. Sour candies have high acidic levels that wreak havoc on teeth enamel. Plus, the candy contains sugar on the inside.
Schedule a Pre-Halloween Checkup
Our oral surgeons suggest letting your children indulge one time out of the year. However, this is all the more reason to follow oral hygiene and schedule a visit to Mukilteo Dental Arts. The worst Halloween candies have all the elements that create dental troubles.
Fall Dental Checkup
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