BEWARE of the spooky candies on Halloween!
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Halloween is coming up very soon!! You probably have lots of fun tricks and treats planned. We want to provide some recommendations on healthy sweets and treats to share with your BOO, and the ones to be careful of. We’re always looking out for healthy teeth and healthy smiles!!
You want to avoid the sticky, gooey, chewy things! These are candies and sweets such as fruit snacks, fruit roll-ups, gummy bears, jelly beans, skittles, airheads, now & laters, taffy, toffee, caramel, etc. These types of treats stick to the grooves of the teeth for a LONG time and are not easily cleansed by our saliva. Sugars that are in sticky form have the greatest risk for cavities!
You want to avoid the hard candies, too. These are jolly ranchers, life savers, lollipops, etc. These also stick to the teeth and are difficult to come off. This means they spend a long time exposing the teeth to sugar and acid damage.
Finally, you want to avoid those high acidic candies. These include sour candies, sour sprays, fun dip, altoids, sweet tarts, sprees, etc. Acid is dangerous to the outside enamel layer of teeth, and when it causes breakdown, then a cavity forms.
Swap the for healthier options:
These include chocolates because they melt! Non-food treats include temporary tattoos, stickers, bouncy balls, colored pencils or key chains!
And remember, have your child brush their teeth before bed, and swish their mouth with water after eating Halloween sweets!