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How to Handle Halloween Candy for Your Dental Health

An orange Halloween bucket with a smiling Jack-o-Lantern pattern lays tipped over with candy spilled out everywhere.
An orange Halloween bucket with a smiling Jack-o-Lantern pattern lays tipped over with candy spilled out everywhere.

Candy is a mainstay for the Halloween season, but it can also be the cause of dental health problems like cavities, decay, and tooth damage. Being smart about your candy consumption this Halloween—including choosing what kinds of candy to eat and when to eat it, as well as establishing guidelines to keep it in check—can help you keep candy-related complications at bay.

For some people, Halloween is part of the transition to fall—warm, cozy, and all things pumpkin spice. For others, however, Halloween means one thing: buckets of candy.

Halloween wasn’t always a candy-crazed affair; its early roots as the Celtic Samhain festival featured sweet “soul” cakes while 1800s Americans celebrated with taffy pulls, popcorn balls, and the newly invented candy corn.  It wasn’t until the 1950s—and the end of World War II and sugar rations—when Halloween candy began its march to cultural dominance. That’s when, on the other side of the baby boom, television shows started producing special spooky episodes for mainstream America and candy manufacturers began promoting their products specifically for Halloween. By the 1970s, candy is the only game in town when it comes to Halloween treats, and in 2023, the holiday prompted Americans to spend over $3.6 billion on candy alone.

Unfortunately, candy is also synonymous with something else: cavities. According to a survey by Shiny Smile Veneers, more than 35% of Americans will experience candy-related dental issues like cavities or damaged restorations each year, spending an average of $538 to correct them. The top dental problems caused by candy? Tooth pain and sensitivity; damage to fillings, crowns, or other restorations; and chipped or cracked teeth.

While one night of candied bliss won’t cause cavities immediately, this once-a-year-splurge can turn into serious damage if you aren’t careful. A brief binge is one thing, but the longer your candy lingers—both in your mouth and within reach—the more problematic it becomes. Here’s why.

The Candy Conundrum

Your mouth is already full of bacteria, and a lot of it is healthy—as long as it stays within the right balance. When you eat a lot of sugary, starchy foods like candy and sweets, it gives the bacteria something to feed on (bacteria like sugar just like we do), causing it to multiply rapidly and produce byproducts like enamel-eroding acid, a precursor to decay and cavities.

Kids are especially prone to the threat of more voracious oral bacteria and oral health problems like cavities, says Dr. Kristen Campbell, DDS of Norman Smile Center. Primary teeth have a more porous enamel making them more susceptible to damage from the acid produced by bacteria, and erupting molars can have deep grooves that trap food, debris, and sugars. Moreover, kids typically haven’t developed the effective oral hygiene routines necessary to keep their mouth and teeth clean.

“Small children lack the dexterity and discipline to properly take care of their oral health,” explains Dr. Campbell. “And they’re also often eating and drinking foods and beverages that are high in sugar and starches.”

However, this doesn’t have to be a recipe for disaster, and it’s not all bad news.

Indulging in your favorite Halloween candy doesn’t have to be scary if you keep these 2 things in mind.

  1. It matters what candy you eat. 

When it comes to “best” or “worst” candy, it really boils down to how long it takes to dissolve, how long (and how much) it sticks to your teeth, and if it can cause any damage to your teeth.

“The best way to limit your chances of developing a cavity from candy is to keep the sugar in contact with your teeth for the least amount of time,” says Dr. Campbell. “That’s because the longer it sits on or in between your teeth, the longer the bacteria has to produce that harmful acid and erode your enamel.”

Your best candy choices? Chocolate—which is eaten quickly, dissolves quickly, and is easy to wash off your teeth—and sugar-free gum, which stimulates extra saliva production to naturally rinse your mouth and keep plaque-causing bacteria at bay.

The worst kind of candy includes those that are sticky, chewy, hard, or very sour, such as caramels, gummies, lollipops, and hard candies. Sticky or chewy candy can get stuck in hard-to-clean areas between your teeth, while chewy candies can also pull on your crowns, fillings, or other restorations. Hard candies are also a double-whammy; not only do they take longer to consume (which means more time in your mouth and on your teeth), but biting or crunching down on them can chip or crack teeth or damage restorations like fillings and crowns. Sour candy tends to be highly acidic, which is tough on your tooth enamel and can affect the pH balance in your mouth.

  1. It matters when you eat your candy. 

The longer and more frequently sugar is allowed to sit in your mouth, the more damage it can do, so in addition to avoiding slow-dissolving candy, don’t graze on it throughout the day and don’t binge on any before bed. Eat your candy in one sitting and ideally with or after a meal, when your mouth is already full of bacteria and saliva production is high. That extra saliva—as well as drinking water—will help rinse away the excess sugar and neutralize the acids that damage your tooth enamel.

4 Tips to Help You—and Your Kids—Avoid a Halloween Candy Hangover

You were a kid. You know how hard it is to say no to candy. Here’s how you can help your kids navigate the crush of Halloween candy.

  1. Help them manage the mother lode. Expect the blissed-out pile building and binging that happens immediately after your kids’ Halloween haul, when they dump everything out and carefully sort it into piles, then help them thin it out. Have them pick out a few of each of their favorites to keep, and then get rid of the rest. You can donate it or find a local candy buyback program.
  2. Set an expiration date. Talk with your kids and decide on a date when any remaining candy gets dumped. Putting a day on the calendar when the candy binge ends can help your kids enjoy what they have while they have it, while also giving them (and you) a chance to get back on track with your healthy eating and sugar consumption.
  3. Be upfront with your blacklist. Don’t be afraid to set some kinds of candy off limits for your kids, but do make sure they know what those no-gos are before they start trick-or-treating. A little compromise can go a long way if you’re willing to let your kids keep a few more chocolate bars in exchange for ditching the Fun Dip and Dots.
  4. Reinforce the routine. Now’s a great time to reiterate to your kids the importance of regular brushing, flossing, and dental checkups to help make sure that the candy they’re scarfing down now doesn’t cause major dental problems in the future.

For more tips on helping your kids out with their oral hygiene beyond Halloween, visit our blog on fun ways to encourage better habits.

How the Dental Professionals at Norman Smile Center Handle Halloween Candy

Believe it or not, the dentists and hygienists at Norman Smile Center were kids once, too, (many of us have them ourselves now!) and we still have a sweet tooth. 

Here’s some of our favorite candies, and how we handle Halloween candy in our homes.

Kristen (Dr. Campbell): Midnight Milky Way

Donna (Dr. Sparks): Snickers

Danna (Dental Assistant): Reese’s Peanut Butter cups

Lisa (Dental Assistant): 100 Grand

Ramzi (Dental Assistant): Reese’s Peanut Butter cup

Jennifer (Dental Hygienist): Baby Ruth

Katie (Dental Hygienist): Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, Almond Joy, and Candy Corn

Brandi (Dental Hygienist): Reese’s Peanut Butter cup

Ginger (Office Manager): Milk Duds

Jenny (Appointment Coordinator): Reese’s Peanut Butter cup

As far as handling the candy situation?

As most dentists will tell you, it’s all about moderation, for kids and adults.

“It can be hard, especially with little ones,” admits Dr. Campbell. “I allow for a little indulging on the night of and maybe for a little bit the next week or so, but then it’s time for the candy to go.”

And, she emphasizes, we make “double-sure” teeth are getting brushed well on all chewing surfaces and there is absolutely no candy before bed.

Minimize the Dental Damage Caused by Halloween Candy at Norman Smile Center

At Norman Smile Center, we understand candy is hard to pass up, and we know cavities and dental problems can happen even with the best care. That’s why we offer comprehensive, compassionate dental care services to patients of all ages all year-round, from dental sealants, fluoride treatments, and cleanings to SDF fillings, composite fillings, and restoration repair.So go ahead and enjoy that Halloween candy, then schedule your next cleaning at Norman Smile Center so you can enjoy a healthy smile for years to come.