On the one hand, holidays tend to be highly enjoyable because of increased permissiveness. During holidays, we allow ourselves to indulge in the many delectable treats we spend the rest of the year trying to avoid.
Unfortunately, a few nights of overindulging each year can lead to consequences for both our oral and our overall health. Just think of how much time and energy we devote to the most popular New Year’s resolution each year – losing those 5-10 pounds gained thanks to holiday feasting.
When it comes to Halloween, a holiday devoted to costumes and candy, it’s all too easy to get caught up and find yourself scarfing down candy alongside your kids. However, you should spare a moment to consider not only the empty calories you’re consuming, but also the damage all that sugar could mean for your teeth.
Like anything, moderation is generally the key to avoiding serious harm, but you should also know that certain types of candy could do a lot more damage than others. Here are the worst types of Halloween candy for your teeth.
Caramel and Nougat
Oozing caramel and gooey nougat are pretty satisfying for our tongues, but not so much for our teeth. A hard caramel could torque a crown if you’re not careful, but what’s worse is the damage you don’t see.
Caramel and nougat linger long after you’ve finished eating, clinging to teeth and feeding bacteria in your mouth. This, in turn, produces an acidic film that attacks tooth enamel, potentially opening your teeth to infection and decay.
What does this mean for your grab bag of candy? Well, you’re going to want to stay away from popular items like Milky Way, Snickers, and Twix bars, as well as any other candy containing caramel. You should also avoid equally sticky items like gummy candy and taffy, as well as chewy items like Skittles and Starburst.
Hard Candy
Hard candy might not seem quite as bad as caramel, but it could harm your teeth in other ways. For example, sucking on hard candy means you bring teeth in contact with sugar longer. Plus, if you bite down on hard candies, you could chip or crack teeth, creating damage that paves the way for cavities or other dental woes.
Sour Stuff
Many sour candies are chewy or hard, which means you’ll probably want to avoid them anyway, but you should be extra vigilant about these confections because the sour substance can be acidic, eating away at tooth enamel.
