Halloween is just around the corner and a visit to the dental office for cavities might be too if you’re not careful! Luckily, you don’t have to miss out on the fun by skipping the sweets. With good oral hygiene and moderation, you can have a sweet or two. Now, we all know that too much candy is bad for your teeth. Too much candy can lead to tooth decay.
Every single person has bacteria living in their mouths. When you eat, they eat too. Their favorite food happens to be simple sugars which candy has a lot of. When you eat candy, you feed this bacteria. The bacteria then has to go to the bathroom and releases an acidic substance that leads to cavities. With proper care this can be avoided, but let’s just say some candies increase your risk of tooth decay. Here are the best and worst candies for your teeth!
Low Risk Cavity Candies
Sugar Free Candy
This type of candy is the best for teeth! Without sugar, bacteria have nothing to feed on therefore the risk of tooth decay lowers when you eat this type of candy. Familiar candies you know even have a sugar free version that tastes just like the original!
Sugar Free Gum
We can debate all day long about whether or not gum is a candy, but the fact that it’s sugar free helps it make the list of “best candies for your teeth”.
Chocolate
Though chocolate does contain sugar, this type of candy makes the list because it’s easier to remove than other candies. If you have dark chocolate, that’s even better. Dark chocolate has less sugar than milk chocolate.
High Risk Cavity Candies
Hard Candies and Lollipops
This makes the list of worst candies for your teeth because of the length of time the candy typically stays in your mouth. The longer a sweet stays in your mouth, the longer bacteria has to feast on it. This increases your chances of tooth decay. Biting on hard candy is also bad for your teeth!
Gummy Candy and Sticky Candy
This includes candies such as gummy bears and taffy. These types of candies can easily get stuck between teeth making them hard to remove. This once again increase your chance of getting a cavity!
Sour Candy
Sour candy, especially ones covered in sugar can be very acidic. This can ruin your enamel increasing your risk for tooth decay.
Candy isn’t at all a bad thing! You don’t have to skip out on it as long as you brush your teeth and floss at the appropriate time. You can also decrease your chances of getting a cavity by choosing the type of candy you eat. If you have a cavity and are in the Northridge area, be sure to visit Dr. Barizo at Perfect Smiles!
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