How to reduce the risks associated with Halloween candy for your teeth

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A new report lists the most dangerous Halloween treats for your teeth and the six most common dental problems they can cause. Kosamtu/Getty Images
  • Candy is all the rage at Halloween, but a new report shows what it can do to your teeth.
  • The report reveals America’s most dangerous candies for dental health, and which parents hate the most.
  • Dentists explain how to get your sweet fix without damaging your teeth and gums.

Sure, Halloween is all about dressing up in costumes and embracing all things scary, but for many kids (and adults), the holiday is all about candy.

As much as a bag full of sweets can taste, they often come at a cost – dental problems.

In fact, a report by Shiny Smiles Veneers showed that 35% of Americans have suffered from candy-related dental problems.

“I think it’s important to make good choices when it comes to what we eat and an occasional treat is okay, however, every day, and frequent candy consumption will eventually have negative consequences for our teeth, seeking dental treatment.” Kristin Lenz Galbreath, DMD, owner of Union Grove Family Dental in Wisconsin, told Healthline.

The report identified the following as the most common dental problems caused by sweets.

Tooth sensitivity

Bacteria in the mouth can metabolize simple carbohydrates (sugar) and in turn, lower the overall pH in your mouth, creating an acidic environment, said Amy Sliwa Lies, DDS, owner of FiveSix Family Dental in Illinois.

“An acidic environment can erode the enamel of your teeth, making them more sensitive and susceptible to decay,” she told Healthline.

Also, even when sugar is not metabolized, it can cause sensitivity in non-enamel areas.

“The way your teeth ‘feel’ is through tiny little tubes in the dentin layer of the tooth. These tubes have fluid in them. The fluid expands and contracts in response to heat, cold, sweets, etc., and this is interpreted from the nerve of the tooth, included, together with small blood vessels, in the pulp of the tooth,” said Lies.

People with receding gums are usually sensitive to sugar, Lenz Galbreath added.

“In addition, a common complaint of a tooth that already has a cavity is sensitivity to sweets,” she said.

Toothache

If sweets damage teeth, fillings or crowns, it can cause pain.

“Cracking a tooth and grinding it can be very painful. A cracked tooth that has cracked into the nerve or root of the tooth is extremely painful,” said Lenz Galbreath.

Damaged fillings and crowns

If the candy is sticky, it can dislodge a piece of filling or dislodge a crown, and if it’s too hard, it can break a filling or a tooth, Lies said.

“After repeated exposure to sweets and mouth bacteria that dissolve sugar into acid and erode enamel, tooth decay can form. While it doesn’t directly damage the filling material in this way, decay can form at the edge of the filling or crown (the edge where the tooth meets the filling/crown),” she said.

Chipped or cracked tooth

Lenz Galbreath often sees patients several months after they have broken a tooth.

“A patient will know they’ve cracked or chipped a tooth when they eat, but it doesn’t hurt, so the patient doesn’t go to the dentist right away,” she said. “However, a few months later it will start to hurt because a cavity has developed in the tooth or there is a nerve exposure.”

This is problematic because a cracked or chipped tooth has lost its outer layer, enamel, and the cavity progresses at a faster rate, increasing the likelihood of more treatment, such as a root canal or crown, explained Lenz Galbreath.

Jaw discomfort

Chewing hard or sticky sweets adds stress and work to the temporomandibular joints (TMJ), which are the two joints that connect the lower jaw to the skull.

“Repeated candy chewing will lead to pain and inflammation in the TMJ and muscles,” said Lenz Galbreath.

Stretching or opening the jaw wide to eat large candies can also cause discomfort.

Gum infection

While the report did not mention gum infection, Lies said the most common candy-related issue she sees is small pieces of candy getting caught under the gums and not being flossed.

“Sometimes it will stay trapped under the gums, usually between the teeth, and then it can create a periodontal abscess (localized infection in the gums),” she said.

The report found that the following sweets are the most dangerous for teeth.

  • Jaw
  • The Jolly Rancher
  • Bit-O-Honey
  • Starburst
  • Roll Tootsie
  • Lafi Tafi
  • Snickers
  • Atomic fireball
  • Butter English
  • Blow Pops and Milk Duds

Parents noted that they hate Jawbreaker the most when it comes to sweets.

“I agree that these treats are either stronger or stickier than any other natural or healthy food option,” said Lenz Galbreath. “Taking one of these hard or sticky candies can break a tooth and cause severe toothache.”

Chewing on hard candy or a mint every hour is also not a good idea.

“By doing that, you’re basically keeping the pH down all day and setting yourself up for breakdown,” Lies said.

When it comes to the candy that gets stuck in Americans’ teeth the most, the report found that the following are the biggest culprits:

  • Lafi Tafi
  • Bit-O-Honey
  • Roll Tootsie
  • Salt water taffy
  • The Jolly Rancher
  • Dairy milk
  • Jelly beans
  • Gummy Bears
  • Aerial head
  • Starburst

Any hard candy or sticky candy that stays in the mouth for a long time can cause damage.

“Part of the equation for causing cavities is how long the pH goes down. A piece of chocolate dissolves quickly and you swallow it, and then your saliva works to bring the oral environment back to a normal pH,” Lies said. “Hard, sticky gums that stay in your mouth for a long time keep the pH low for longer, eroding the enamel more.”

According to the report, parents prioritize the following when it comes to their kids’ Halloween treats:

  • 55% check their sweets for razors, drugs, glass and other harmful things
  • 40% take some candy so their children don’t eat so much
  • 21% throw away candy after a few weeks
  • 18% get the candy they want first

When indulging in candy spoils, Lenz Galbreath said it’s best to eat them with a meal or right after a meal because the body produces extra saliva during this time to break down the food and clean the mouth naturally.

“In addition, when eating foods, especially sugary foods, it is best to consume the food in less than 30 minutes and not eat it for a long period of time. “Reintroducing sugar to our teeth repeatedly increases the risk of cavities,” she said.

While brushing or flossing is a great thing to do, Lenz Galbreath said not to do it for 30 minutes after eating, and then after you brush or floss, wait to eat for at least an hour.

“This allows our saliva and ‘good bacteria’ to do their job to naturally protect our teeth and gums,” she said.

The lie says stay in moderation when it comes to sweets.

“Have a piece of candy, then you’re done. Bring the pH back to normal as soon as possible by drinking water or brushing your teeth. “Fluoride in water or toothpaste can bind to the tiny eroded spots in the enamel and stop/reverse the process,” she said.

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