As four-year-old trick or treater Ella Martin and six-year-old Lily Martin say, children are on a mission to cram as much sugary candy as possible into their Jack-O-Lanterns.
“When I go to a house I want a candy, not a trick,” Lily said.
“I want them to give me a treat, because that’s what Halloween is all about,” Ella said.
Candy can lead to cavities, and this worries many parents.
“(It)...is Halloween, and I want them to have fun, but I am kind of worried about it, because (keeping one's teeth healthy) is a big deal, and we have them our whole lives, so we have to take care of them,” said Jessica Martin, the mother of Lily and Ella.
However, some children are willing to be careful and take care of their sparkly whites.
“My dad got a root canal, and it hurt him so bad, and I don’t want one of those, so I wanna keep my teeth clean,” Lily said.
Experts say some sweets are more scary than others for your teeth.
“The chewy, sticky type of candy ... things like that would stay on the teeth. Those would be worse than other things,” said Dr. Corbin Matthews.
Dentists say that hard sugary candies are better because brushing and flossing more easily remove their residue, as opposed to hard candy residue removal.
Here there’s a list of types of candy that are worse or better for your little loved ones:
Worst:
- Chewy/sticky sweets: Gummy or taffy candies can get stuck in between teeth, and it is really hard for the saliva to wash them away.
- Sour candies: Although they are highly acidic, saliva helps to restore the natural balance of the acid in the mouth.
- Sugary snacks: All contain high amounts of sugar, which can cause tooth decay.
Best:
- Sugar-free lollipops and hard candies: Can help prevent dry mouth.
- Sugar-free gum: It can actually prevent cavities.
- Dark chocolate: Studies show its antioxidants can be good for the heart and blood pressure.