Halloween is just around the corner and if you have young kids that means piles and piles of candy. Now, contrary to popular belief, not all candy is created equally. If you want to try to get your kids through the holidays without sacrificing their cute little teeth, check out this list of the best and worst candies for your kids’ teeth this Halloween.
Yes Please!
- Sugar-free hard candies are a great way to keep your children’s teeth healthy this Halloween. Kids will be able to suck on them for hours without having to deal with the corrosive effects of sugar – not to mention the sugar highs that accompany them.
- Sugar-free Gum is another great treat for kids that will spare them any tooth pain. Similar to hard candies, sugar-free gum is a good way to keep your kids occupied with a single piece which will help them cut down on diving back into the their trick-or-treat bag and pulling out more and more.
- Last, but not least is dark chocolate. When all else fails, use dark chocolate as your secret weapon. Look, it can be a handful to keep kids from getting their chocolate fix, so try giving them dark chocolate instead. It contains much less sugar than milk chocolate and actually has some beneficial properties to it.
No Thank You!
- Sugar: Plain and simple, anything containing sugar can be a nightmare for your kids’ teeth. If left unchecked it can lead to numerous problems such as cavities and tooth decay. Not to mention the insane sugar highs that will keep you up all night.
- Sour Candy: Sour candy gets its taste because of its higher acid levels and it is because of that acidity that makes it so dangerous for kids’ teeth. Sour candies will wear away at your kids’ enamel and leave their tiny teeth vulnerable to all kinds of wear and tear that would normally be quite avoidable. Keep those teeth protected and ditch the sour candies.
- Sticky/Chewy Candy: This can fall into any of the above categories, just think of it as an added danger. Chewy candies have an extra level of caution to them because of their very nature. They stick to the insides of your kids’ mouths and teeth and aren’t always easy to wash away. If these sticky candies go unchecked, they can lead to serious tooth decay in your kids which means those baby teeth will be coming out a lot sooner than they should.
There it is, the good and bad – and definitely some of the ugly – when it comes to this year’s Halloween haul. Be sure to offer up some alternative such as fruits and healthy trail-mixes to keep your kids’ teeth as healthy as possible.