Although outright restricting your kid from having candy is all but impossible, some sweets might do a little less damage to the teeth than others.
With Halloween fast approaching, you can be sure your kids will be gorging themselves with bags and bags of candy. Unfortunately, the candy feast could lead to expensive and uncomfortable visits to the dentist if you aren’t careful. This is because candy contains tons of sugar, and the bacteria in the teeth love it.
When the bacteria in the teeth digest sugar, they excrete acids that erode the enamel as a byproduct. This corrosion is what eventually leads to the formation of cavities. Although outright restricting your kid from having candy is all but impossible, some sweets might do a little less damage to the teeth than others.
Chocolates
Chocolates are probably the best candies for oral health. Chocolates don’t stick onto the surfaces of the teeth and easily wash away. This is great since it makes the formation of plaque quite tricky.
Plaque is a mixture of food material and bacteria that cause cavity formation; no plaque equals no cavities. If your kid is a sucker for chocolates, it is best to go for a bar of darker chocolate with less sugar in it. Likewise, it would be best to avoid chocolates with nougat or caramel; these sticky substances get stuck on the surfaces of the teeth forming plaque.
Sugar-Free Candy
Sugar is the bane of dental health; sugar stimulates the rapid increase in cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth. So having sugar-free candy is a good bet for your kid’s teeth. But there are caveats; some of the sugar substitutes used in the production of the candy can cause health issues.
Some sugar substitutes like Aspartame and Acesulfame potassium have links to cases of cancer and other gastrointestinal problems. You should avoid such sugar alternatives at all costs. On the other hand, sugar alternatives like Xylitol are beneficial to oral health since they reduce plaque build-up in the mouth.
Candy With Nuts
Nuts are a great source of protein and fiber, so they are great for your child’s health in general. In candy, they serve the critical role of preventing plaque build-up by breaking up the sticky surface of the sweet, so less of it sticks to the teeth. The crunchiness also rubs of any plaque that was on the teeth already. If your kid has braces, you should be cautious about letting them have any candy with nuts because they might damage their braces.
Remember: Whatever candy alternative you choose, it should always be at the back of your mind that these are still candies, and they can still harm your child’s oral health. Candy, no matter the type, should be taken in moderation.
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