Which Halloween candies are the worst for your teeth?
ST. PAUL, Minn. — It's perhaps our sweet tooth's favorite holiday. Halloween is on Tuesday and while much of the day is all about the treats, one question that comes up every year has many wondering which ones are playing the worst tricks on our teeth.
While Dr. Brian Grove with the Metropolitan Pediatric Dental Associates said Halloween is his favorite holiday, some treats are better than others.
"Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, these are my absolute favorite," he said. "I mean if we take care of our teeth, it's OK to have a treat every once in a while. Something like this is going to melt in our mouth. It's tasty, it's really yummy, it's peanut butter and chocolate, but it's not going to get stuck between our teeth for days if we take care of it, so chocolate actually isn't that bad."
Unfortunately, the same can't be said for every candy. He said Sour Patch Kids are among the worst for your teeth.
"This is number one tooth enemy because it may be tasty, but it's really chewy and it's also really acidic," he said. "Anything that's more acidic and chewy is going to break down your teeth."
Grove added sticky candies like Dots can also be detrimental to your teeth.
"If you have any crowns or anything like that in your mouth, they can pull them off [and] they can break them," he said.
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The same goes for Starburst, Skittles, Butterfinger, Hot Tamales, gummy bears and gummy worms. But if you just absolutely can't resist, Grove said moderation is key.
"For a cavity, your mouth has to be a certain acid level frequently, so it's not a one-time thing," he said. "It's weeks."
He stresses just to remember to brush, floss and use fluoride before bedtime as the mouth is drier at night and that's when a lot of decay happens.
So go ahead and enjoy that tasty concoction of confectionery bliss, just remember to take care of your pearly whites, too.
"It's OK to have a treat," he said. "It's OK to have candy. I know that's controversial to say as a dentist, but that's what I believe."