Did you know candy can promote tooth decay on your smile? Well, it’s true, which is why Halloween can be a scary holiday for your teeth and gums. However, you don’t have to give up all candy to take care of your smile. In fact, there are good and bad treats for your smile, and our LOL Dental & Orthodontics team is happy to tell you all about them! Here is a list of the best and worst Halloween treats for your teeth:

Best Candies

-Sugar-free candy and gum: Sugar-free candy and gum are the best treats available on Halloween night. These treats don’t contain sugar, which means they don’t have a substance that the bacteria and decay-causing acids can feed on. Gum and candy with xylitol can also protect the teeth by reducing the acids in your mouth and increasing your saliva, which is beneficial because the saliva tends to wash away excess sugars and acids.

-Powdery candy: Sure, powdery candy has high amounts of sugar, but the powdery treat dissolves quickly and doesn’t stick to the teeth.

-Chocolate: Chocolate is a good treat to consume because it dissolves quickly and can be eaten easily. This helps decrease the amount of time the sugar stays in contact with your smile. Chocolate also has calcium, which is a mineral that can help protect tooth enamel. However, chocolate with fillings, like caramel and nuts, is a lot more harmful to your teeth.

Worst Candies

-Hard candy: Hard candy is dangerous for the smile because it tends to be sucked on at a leisurely pace, which means the candy is in your mouth for an extended period of time. Also, chomping down on hard candy has the potential to chip or crack a tooth.

-Chewy or sticky candy: Chewy or sticky candy, like caramel or gummies, are very high in sugar and they tend to stick to the teeth for a long period of time. This is very bad and can promote cavities. These types of treats are also difficult for saliva to break down.

If you have any questions or concerns about the best tooth-healthy Halloween treats in Crockett, Texas, please don’t be afraid to call our office at 936.463.0162 and talk to your dentist, Dr. Nieku Manshadi, or a member of our dental team. We are happy to help you in any way we can, and we look forward to hearing from you!