It’s that time of year again. Kids are ramping up for one of the biggest (and sweetest) holidays of the year, Halloween.
While safety is undoubtedly on your mind, as little ones hit the pavement to stock up on tricks and treats, you may also be wondering what impact binging on candy may have on developing gums and tooth enamel. According to research, the average American eats about 25 pounds of candy every year. Come October 31, that number jumps to a whopping 90 million pounds – in just one week, says a 2009 Nielsen Newswire Report.
Meanwhile, data collected by Coupon Follow in 2013 reports that the average child will eat about 3 cups of sugar on Halloween. Yikes! Here’s what you need to know about what those sweets are doing to your precious teeth.
For starters, consuming candy puts you at risk of halitosis, gum disease and tooth decay. “Anaerobic bacteria feed on sugars like the ones found in abundance around Halloween. Sugary treats spur a surge in activity as the bacteria create the sulfur compounds that cause wickedly bad breath,” Dr. Harold Katz, founder of The California Breath Clinics and best known as the “final authority in breath,” tells Black Doctor.org.
Making the problem worse? “Halloween candies contain chocolate, an acidic food that helps bad breath bacteria multiply,” continued Dr. Katz. “Halloween halitosis isn’t the only negative effect, however. Sugars also allow separate types of bacteria in your mouth to produce glycan strands. In turn, these glycans produce plaque. That adds gum disease and tooth decay to the list of frightening effects from sugary candies.”
Fortunately for parents there are a variety of strategies…