Tooth-Saving Tips for Halloween

Nearly everyone would agree: one of the best parts of Halloween is the candy. But that doesn't mean that you need to give up on your child's oral health for the night—and neither should he or she! Halloween is a good time for parents and caregivers to educate their young goblins and ghosts about good choices for their teeth.

The Worst Candy for Your Teeth

According to Dr. Keith Libou, chief clinical officer at Delta Dental of New Jersey, not all candy is equally scary for our oral health. But there are candies you will want to avoid. Encourage your child to sort his or her Halloween candy into "better" and "worse" piles. Here are some guidelines to help you navigate:

• Sticky candies: Caramels, gummy bears, saltwater taffy, and dried fruit snacks all get stuck in teeth easily. That includes chocolates with caramel or other sticky fillings. The general rule is the stickier the candy, the worse it is for your teeth.

• Sour candies: These candies have high acid levels that can break down tooth enamel.

• Candy corn: This is laden with sugar that produces acid that eats away at teeth.

Ask your dentist if he or she has a "candy buyback" program and offer to take your trick-or-treater, along with the "worse" pile, to redeem it for cash or prizes.

The Top 5 Tooth-Friendly Candies

Dr. Libou recommends the following choices to help protect children's oral health on Halloween and whenever candy is offered. Put these candies in the "better" pile.

• Sugar-free gum: Studies have shown that chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks can help rinse off and neutralize the acids released by the bacteria in plaque, which are harmful to tooth enamel. Both the act of chewing and the flavor of the artificial sweeteners in the gum stimulate ten times the normal rate of saliva flow, which washes away food particles, helping to keep your teeth clean.

• Sugar-free Lollipops: Sugar-free lollipops also stimulate saliva production, which flushes away bacteria from teeth, tongue and gums. Some varieties include ingredients like licorice root, which has been shown to significantly reduce the bacteria that cause tooth decay.

• Chocolate: Chocolate melts quickly and doesn't generally stick to teeth; however, avoid chocolates with caramel or sticky fillings, which can be harmful to teeth. As an added bonus, the calcium in chocolate may be beneficial, and dark chocolate in particular has antioxidants that can be good for the heart.

• Peanut Butter Cups: These treats are similar to chocolate in that they disappear fast.

• Powdery candy: The texture of powdery candy allows it to dissolve quickly, so that it doesn't stay on teeth and produce acids and bacteria that can cause cavities.

Drink Water and Brush Afterward

Encourage children to drink a glass of water after eating candy, as it helps flush away food debris and can dilute the sugar acids. Also, remind them to brush and floss their teeth after they eat sweets.

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