Trick or treat! Halloween is almost here!
The Best and Worst Halloween Candies to Eat for a Healthy Smile
NYC cosmetic dentist, Dr. Tim Chase talks about the best and worst Halloween candies to eat to keep a healthy smile.
With
Halloween right around the corner, it is that time of the year again:
scares and thrills around every corner. Children are scared of scary
movies, ghost stories, and scary costumes, and parents are scared of all
the candy their kids will bring home. Tiny candies in the doctor’s
office or the workplace start to pop up and we cannot help but indulge
ourselves in these sugary treats. There is nothing wrong with a few
indulgences, however, not all Halloween candy is created equally. When
it comes to healthy teeth, certain candies can be completely detrimental
to your smile, while others are less of a threat. According to Dr.
Timothy Chase, a 20-year veteran of cosmetic dentistry, a healthy smile,
white teeth and healthy gums can take 10 years off your appearance.
Dr.
Chase, D.M.D., is a practicing partner in SmilesNY, a leading cosmetic
dentistry practice in New York City. He has made it his life’s work to
educate patients about the significance of possessing a healthy smile as
a critical indicator of overall health and wellness.
“Some
people do not realize how important it can be to take care of your
teeth,” says Dr. Chase. “Not only does a healthy smile make you look
and feel better, but, dental health issues have been linked to systemic
problems like heart and kidney issues and low birth weight in babies.”
Brushing
and flossing are not always enough to keep your teeth healthy. What
you eat and what you do not eat can be a huge factor in how healthy your
teeth are. Keep your teeth in mind this Halloween season with Dr.
Chase’s tips on best and worst Halloween candies to eat:
Candies Ranging from Worst to not so bad in terms of teeth health:
- Taffy
and candies filled with caramel, coconut, or nuts are the worst kinds
of candy for teeth because they stick to everything inside of your
mouth, including the grooves of your teeth. The longer a food sticks to
your teeth, the longer bacteria can feed on it – which could produce
cavity-causing acid.
- Hard
candy such as lollipops or jawbreakers, are the second worst candies to
be munching on. Although they do not stick to your mouth, they take a
long time to dissolve. The longer a food stays in your mouth, the more
acidic the environment becomes.
- Sour candy is also bad for your teeth because it has a higher acidic content, which can break down tooth enamel.
- While
Powdery Candy such as Pixie Stix dissolve quickly in the mouth and
don’t require chewing, they contain nothing but sugar and can lead to
cavities by changing the mouths PH and giving bacteria straight sugar to
eat.
- Chocolate,
with no sticky fillings, will generally not stick to your teeth and
therefore it is a much better option if you have the urge for a sweet
snack.
- Sugar-free
gum may be the best treat this Halloween season because it leaves no
sticky residue, which causes plaque, and it is sweetened with xylitol – a
natural sugar the bacteria is unable to form plaque on.
- Of course….If possible it would be much better to put down the candy and grab a piece of fruit.
“Brightening
your appearance by creating a healthy smile is not as daunting a task
as people think,” says Chase. “It is an extremely important factor in
one’s overall health and it should not be overlooked.”
The primary service offered by Dr. Chase and his colleagues is Smile Design,
an array of preventative and restorative services including: teeth
whitening, porcelain veneers, invisible braces, cosmetic bonding, tooth
colored fillings, porcelain crowns, bridges, dental implants,
periodontal services, full-mouth restoration, TMJ therapy and sports
dentistry.
More About Dr. Timothy Chase
