Dentists Say This Halloween Treat is the Best

Yes, of course, dentists hand out candy on Halloween. According to an American Dental Association (ADA) survey, 76% of them will hand out some kind of candy on this great, spooky holiday.

But not all treats are created equal, some of them linger in your kid's mouths (and yours) for hours after they are eaten and every year dentists see the results. These are the candies dentists think you should avoid:

• Hard candy - It's pure sugar, stays in the mouth a long time and can break teeth if you try to crunch it.
• Gummy candy - Like the name says, its gummy nature makes it stick to your teeth
• Caramel - Again, super sticky and slow to dissolve
• Sour candy - Highly acidic which mouth bacteria thrive on and speed up the decay process

I know, up to this point you're thinking, "Well, that is a very "party-pooper-ish" dental attitude!" (Or maybe that's just me. I love gummy and caramel - -anything!) But, there is good news. The candy which dentists say is your best bet is chocolate.

It washes off your teeth more easily and contains oils that delay the formation of the bacteria which initiate the decay process. Milk chocolate is alright, but dark chocolate is the best, as it has less sugar.

The message really is, no matter what candy you and your wee ones indulge in this Halloween, it is important to remember to brush it off your teeth before the scary specter of "Evil Dr. Decay" shows up!

Source: Today Health and American Dental Association (ADA)