Oral Health and Halloween

The leaves are falling and the weather is dropping: Halloween is here. With Halloween comes costumes and candy, lots of candy. While many of us enjoy indulging in the Halloween fun, it is important to remember the impact that our favourite sugary treats have on our teeth. 

Candy is primarily made up of sugar, which feeds harmful mouth bacteria. The more sugar we consume, the more bacteria we create. This bacteria creates acids that can erode tooth enamel, creating cavities that will worsen over time if left untreated. 

And as children are the primary consumers of Halloween candy, it is important to limit their daily consumption of sugary sweets. If limiting candy consumption is not an easy feat in your household, here are a list of some of the sugary culprits you should avoid over others:

–Sticky and gummy candies: these are hard to remove and may stay longer on your teeth, which gives cavity-causing bacteria more time to spread. 

–Hard candy: these candies are kept in your mouth for longer periods of time, meaning the sugar is getting in your saliva and is washing over your teeth. Hard candies can even break your teeth if you aren’t careful.

–Sour candy: Sour candies can be very acidic and can weaken tooth enamel. It’s best to consume these in moderation if possible.