Every October, children go crazy for Halloween, with its spooky stories, fun costumes, and delicious candy. Managing your child’s dental care during this time of year can be challenging, but you shouldn’t necessarily deprive them of candy completely. Here are a few of the worst Halloween candies for teeth that will give you an idea of what to avoid, limit, or cut out completely this year.

3 Halloween Candies That Are Bad for Dental Care

1. Sour Candy

Sour candies contain acids that damage tooth enamel, which can’t grow back. Since enamel protects the vulnerable inner pulp of teeth, you want your kids to preserve it, so have them avoid sour candies. The combination of softened tooth enamel and sugar could mean disaster for your child’s dental health.

2. Sticky Candy

Chewy, gummy, and tough candies like taffy, gumdrops, and licorice stick to teeth and are almost impossible to remove, even with rigorous teeth cleaning. This leaves sugar stuck in the nooks and crevices of your child’s mouth, providing food for bacteria to grow and increasing the risk for cavities.

3. Hard Candy

While your child sucks on lollipops and other hard candies, their teeth are coated in sugar, raising the chances of developing cavities. Small pieces of sweets can lodge in or around your child’s teeth in hard-to-reach places, further increasing the likelihood of dental issues. Plus, biting down on hard candies can crack teeth.

For pediatric dental care to treat cavities or cracked teeth caused by Halloween candy, rely on the team at Pediatric Dental Group in Honolulu, HI. Since 1966, they’ve taken care of children’s dental hygiene, providing preventive, diagnostic, and treatment services for healthy, young smiles. They offer comprehensive dental care customized to your child’s needs, incorporating the latest technology such as all-digital X-rays that eliminate exposure to radiation. Learn more about their services online, and schedule an appointment by calling (808) 593-8828 for the Honolulu office or (808) 245-2131 for the Lihue office.