USC School of Dentistry Tips: How Kids Can Enjoy Candy Without Halloween Horror
Education Desk
October 28, 2007
A Few Precautions Will Help Children Prevent Tooth Decay, While Still Enjoying Their Treats.
Los Angeles -- Halloween is famous for its goblins, ghouls and, let's not forget, loads and loads of candy. The candy experts at the USC School of Dentistry say Halloween doesn't have to be a dentist's worst nightmare. There are precautions we can take that can make this holiday enjoyable for all, even our littlest gremlins.
Every year, candy companies conjure up a new storm of chewy, sticky, nut-filled, caramel-coated candies that wreak havoc on our teeth. According to Dr. Gardner Beale, a faculty member at USC School of Dentistry's Department of Pediatrics, "Caries is caused by three factors: bacteria, carbohydrates and sugars. If we can eliminate one of these factors, then we can prevent the formation of caries."
Dr. Beale's first suggestion: Limit the child's exposure to sugar. When children -- or adults for that matter -- have a high sugar exposure, the sugar is absorbed by the bacteria in the mouth and turned into acid, which then damages the tooth, causing caries.
Some Candies Are Better Than Others
Did you know that not all candy is created alike when it comes to causing cavities? Sticky candies stay in between teeth for a longer period of time and are not so easily removed by saliva. The longer those sweets stay in your mouth, the more prone you are to bacteria converting the sugars into acid and causing tooth decay.
Sticky sweets like fruit rolls, gummy bears, Laffy Taffy and Starbursts; hard candy like lollipops, jawbreakers, SweetTarts; and anything that stays in your mouth for long periods of time should be avoided.
On the other hand, candies such as chocolate, sugar-free gum and anything that contains xylitol (a sugar substitute) aren't as harmful as those other sweets, and actually aid in the prevention of tooth decay. Sugar-free gum or gum that contains xylitol, like Trident, is good to chew in between meals, because it produce more saliva, which helps your mouth rinse off the acid.
Halloween Quick Tips From the Experts
Monitor your children's candy consumption.
Don't allow children to eat candy throughout the day.
Avoid sticky foods such as gummy worms, fruit rolls and taffy.
Give candy after dinner, and make children brush their teeth before bedtime.
Eat sugarless candy instead.
Chew sugarless candy after meals to reduce the bacteria level.
Avoid eating anything that stays in your mouth for long periods of time, such as lollipops, Jolly Ranchers, jawbreakers, etc.
If you're giving out candy this year, consider fun alternatives to sugary treats -- including stickers, temporary tattoos, vampire teeth or noisemakers.
If parents follow these simple rules as a preventative measure, then children can prevent caries from forming. Everyone can enjoy this Halloween and let the costumes be the scary ones, not the smiles.
Los Angeles -- Halloween is famous for its goblins, ghouls and, let's not forget, loads and loads of candy. The candy experts at the USC School of Dentistry say Halloween doesn't have to be a dentist's worst nightmare. There are precautions we can take that can make this holiday enjoyable for all, even our littlest gremlins.
Every year, candy companies conjure up a new storm of chewy, sticky, nut-filled, caramel-coated candies that wreak havoc on our teeth. According to Dr. Gardner Beale, a faculty member at USC School of Dentistry's Department of Pediatrics, "Caries is caused by three factors: bacteria, carbohydrates and sugars. If we can eliminate one of these factors, then we can prevent the formation of caries."
Dr. Beale's first suggestion: Limit the child's exposure to sugar. When children -- or adults for that matter -- have a high sugar exposure, the sugar is absorbed by the bacteria in the mouth and turned into acid, which then damages the tooth, causing caries.
Some Candies Are Better Than Others
Did you know that not all candy is created alike when it comes to causing cavities? Sticky candies stay in between teeth for a longer period of time and are not so easily removed by saliva. The longer those sweets stay in your mouth, the more prone you are to bacteria converting the sugars into acid and causing tooth decay.
Sticky sweets like fruit rolls, gummy bears, Laffy Taffy and Starbursts; hard candy like lollipops, jawbreakers, SweetTarts; and anything that stays in your mouth for long periods of time should be avoided.
On the other hand, candies such as chocolate, sugar-free gum and anything that contains xylitol (a sugar substitute) aren't as harmful as those other sweets, and actually aid in the prevention of tooth decay. Sugar-free gum or gum that contains xylitol, like Trident, is good to chew in between meals, because it produce more saliva, which helps your mouth rinse off the acid.
Halloween Quick Tips From the Experts
Monitor your children's candy consumption.
Don't allow children to eat candy throughout the day.
Avoid sticky foods such as gummy worms, fruit rolls and taffy.
Give candy after dinner, and make children brush their teeth before bedtime.
Eat sugarless candy instead.
Chew sugarless candy after meals to reduce the bacteria level.
Avoid eating anything that stays in your mouth for long periods of time, such as lollipops, Jolly Ranchers, jawbreakers, etc.
If you're giving out candy this year, consider fun alternatives to sugary treats -- including stickers, temporary tattoos, vampire teeth or noisemakers.
If parents follow these simple rules as a preventative measure, then children can prevent caries from forming. Everyone can enjoy this Halloween and let the costumes be the scary ones, not the smiles.
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