San Antonio – Halloween is a time for sweet treats, but if we’re not careful, it can lead to trouble with cavities.
“Everybody’s mouth has bacteria in (it), and that bacteria is what causes cavities. That happens whenever your mouth is acidic,” said Dr. Derrick Cantu, a pediatric dentist in San Antonio. “Constantly snacking on the candy, that bacteria is going to be active for the entire time that you’re eating it. If you take just one Skittle or one M&M, not that we’re blaming Skittles or Eminem’s, every hour, your mouth can be acidic for up to eight hours.”
He’s quick to point to the American Dental Association, which says not all candies are created equal; some are better than others when it comes to causing cavities.
Skip sticky candy like gummies, which can get stuck in your teeth and stay there for a long time.
Also, stay away from sour candies, which have a lot of acidity, both of which raise the risk of cavities due to the acidity that they create in our saliva and mouth that can lead to cavities.
Chocolate, pretzels and crackers are better options for preventing cavities. Chocolate doesn’t stick to teeth and can dissolve quickly.
The better options are sugar-free gum and candies with the ADA seal. Eating a piece of gum 20 minutes after eating helps prevent tooth decay.
Cantu recommends getting rid of any lingering candy after a week or two to prevent long-term exposure to cavity-causing candy.
“We’re going to set a certain time limit on the candy and a certain piece amount for the candy,” he said. “And then before you go to bed, make sure we drink some water to rinse all the sticky candy off, brush and floss our teeth.”