Who buys Halloween candy this early?
Places like Wal-Mart, Target and Walgreens have had their spooktacular holiday displays up since Labor Day, but that doesn’t mean you have to succumb to their marketing ploy… Mom.
Yes, my mom is a candy company’s dream customer. She is the sucker purchasing pumpkin-shaped lollipops, snack-size candy bars and other sugary sweet Halloween treats weeks in advance of the pagan holiday honoring the dead.
And while my mom and others like her are responsible for keeping Willy Wonka’s smile from fading, it’s a different story with dentists. Many teeth experts are already sounding the alarm, warning parents about the hits their kids’ enamel will take should they be allowed to consume their entire holiday haul.
The leader of the pack is Dr. Timothy Chase. The media-savvy New York City dentist has come out with a list of the most frightening trick-or-treat candy for children’s teeth.
So, what is the worst of the worst?
Did I call that or what?
Dr. Chase maintains that ooey-gooey taffy and candies filled with caramel, coconut or nuts are the worst for teeth because of their sticky nature. The tacky treats naturally cling to teeth and settle in tiny crevices. Dr. Chase says this is very scary, as the longer food sticks to your teeth, the longer bacteria can feed on it, and the easier it is to get a cavity.
Almost as bad are jawbreakers and lollipops. While they are not as sticky as taffy and caramel, their hard exterior takes a long time to dissolve. This creates a breeding ground for acid which causes tooth decay.
When you are sifting through your kids’ Halloween goodies, consider tossing the hard and powdery candies as well. According to Dr. Chase, treats like Sour Patch Kids have an extremely high acid content, which can break down tooth enamel and potentially cause cavities.
In addition, Pixy Stix are also on the doctor’s no-no list. While the colorful powder may dissolve quickly in the mouth, it is 100 percent sugar and consuming too much of it can change the mouth’s PH level, giving bacteria plenty to feed off of.
So, what does that leave kids to gorge on?
Dr. Chase claims that sugar-free gum is the best Halloween treat ever. Thanks to the fact that it doesn’t leave a sticky residue and it is sweetened with xylitol–a natural sugar that doesn’t attract bacteria—-you should have no worries allowing your kids to go to town with it.
What Halloween candy do you put the kibosh on?
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