Most little monsters will bring home a scary stash of candy after trick-or-treating, so it’s not surprising that nearly 1 in 5 Illinois parents say Halloween is one of the toughest times to get their kids to maintain good oral health habits.
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NAPERVILLE – Most little monsters will bring home a scary stash of candy after trick-or-treating, so it’s not surprising that nearly 1 in 5 Illinois parents say Halloween is one of the toughest times to get their kids to maintain good oral health habits.
But don’t get spooked, Delta Dental of Illinois offers parents some tricks and the top treats to keep kids’ teeth safe from sugary nightmares.
“Sugary treats aren’t good for teeth, but some are better than others,” said Dr. Sheila Strock, vice president, dental services and science officer at Delta Dental of Illinois. “Candy that melts and dissolves quickly is least harmful to kids’ teeth. Sweets that expose teeth to sugar longer allow more time for bacteria to feed and produce cavity-causing acid.”
If an option, sugar-free candy and gum are obvious top choices. Chocolate without sticky fillings is also a better choice than other treats, especially dark chocolate which is lower in sugar than milk or white chocolate. Chocolate dissolves quickly and is not sticky, which decreases the amount of time sugar stays in contact with teeth. The worst treats for teeth are chewy and hard candies, such as caramels, gummies, jawbreakers and lollipops, because they are likely to spend a longer time exposing teeth to sugar.