During the holidays, it is common to consume higher amounts of sugar, which isn’t exactly the healthiest choice you can make. Unfortunately, sugar can be hard to avoid since it’s a major ingredient in most holiday treats – cakes, pies, cookies, and especially candy. However, if you care about your smile, it helps to know which sweets are the worst candy for teeth and why.
🔬 How Holiday Sugar and Candy Affect Your Teeth
Sugar can negatively impact your teeth. But do you really know how sugar affects your teeth?
- Healthy and some unhealthy bacteria fill your mouth.
- These bacteria then stick to your teeth, forming a substance called biofilm, also known as plaque.
- Bacteria in plaque consume sugar from the foods you eat and turn the sugar into acids.
- The acids can dissolve the protective enamel on teeth, creating cavities.
Over time, the result is tooth decay and, potentially, tooth pain. If you don’t treat tooth decay, tooth loss can result. (You might be wishing for more than just your two front teeth on Christmas!)
🍬 Candy Culprits: The Worst Candy for Teeth
These holiday candies promote tooth decay and are often considered some of the worst candy for teeth:
🎄 Candy Canes
Whether hanging from a tree, stuffing a stocking, or stirring a cup of hot chocolate, candy canes are a traditional holiday treat. But did you know that candy canes are usually about 75% sugar and 25% corn syrup, a blend of sugars (fructose, glucose, etc.)?
With all that sugar and the time they spend dissolving in your mouth, a candy cane is near the top of the naughty candy list during the holiday season.
🍬 Chewy Candies
Caramel, toffee, Twizzlers, fudge, and other chewy treats might hit your sweet spot – and then stay there for some time. Since these candies stick to your teeth, they have the staying power that provides bacteria with ample opportunity to consume the sugar and produce acids.
Because they cling to the grooves and between teeth, chewy sweets are some of the worst candy for teeth when it comes to cavity risk.
🍿 Caramel Popcorn
Caramel popcorn is a double whammy of tooth decay. Not only do you get the sugars from caramel, but popcorn kernel shells can get stuck between your teeth.
On top of that, you always have the potential to crack a tooth by biting down on unpopped or not-fully-popped kernels. So, this festive snack can mean both cavities and broken teeth if you are not careful.
🍭 Hard Candies
Speaking of cracking a tooth, you might be among the people who can’t resist biting into hard candies, such as peanut brittle and peppermints. If you bite them, you risk chipping or breaking a tooth.
Even if you resist the temptation to bite into hard confections, you’re still subject to tooth decay. Although chewy candy nests on teeth, hard candy dissolves in your mouth over a slow period, allowing the bacteria access to more sugar for longer.
☕ Sweet Holiday Beverages
Though not specifically candy, a few drinks with high sugar content are popular during holiday festivities. It’s best to limit your consumption of:
- Apple cider
- Hot chocolate
- Eggnog
- Sweet, creamy alcoholic drinks
Sip-by-sip exposure bathes your teeth in sugar and acids, adding to the impact of the worst candy for teeth.
🛡️ How to Protect Your Teeth from the Worst Holiday Candy
The good news is you don’t have to skip every treat to protect your smile. Simple habits can reduce the damage from the worst candy for teeth:
- Enjoy sweets with meals instead of constantly snacking.
- Drink water after candy or sugary drinks to help rinse your mouth.
- Avoid chewing ice, hard candy, or unpopped kernels to prevent cracks.
- Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss daily.
- Choose chocolate (especially dark) over sticky or hard candies when possible – it tends to rinse away more easily.
🦷 After the Holidays: Time for a Smile Check
If your teeth feel sensitive, you’ve had a lot of sticky or hard candies, or it’s simply been a while since your last visit, a post-holiday checkup is a smart idea. Professional cleanings help remove plaque and tartar that build up around the holidays and allow us to catch small cavities before they become painful problems.
At Smiles for Health, we can:
- Check for early signs of decay from sugary snacks
- Recommend preventive options like fluoride or sealants
- Discuss safe whitening options if holiday treats have dulled your smile
Don’t be afraid, give us a call today so we can not only help you with your oral care, but also help you with your dental care anxiety. Come to Smiles for Health so we can assess your teeth and help you get ahead of your dental care. Also, ask us about our professional teeth whitening services!
