Better Safe Than Sticky

October 28, 2008

Halloween tricks may scare you, but the holiday’s treats can cause their fair share of trouble as well.

The sugar in those Halloween goodies can fuel caries, the disease that causes tooth decay and cavities, according to Julie Jenks, a pediatric dentist and assistant professor at the USC School of Dentistry.

“When sugar sticks to teeth, bacteria utilize it to produce acid, which can wear away the tooth enamel, creating dental cavities,” she said. “It’s important to limit the amount of time that the acid spends on teeth.”

Jenks recommended that parents control access to the candy stash so that youngsters aren’t constantly munching and thus constantly exposing their teeth to acid. The best time for treats is at mealtime, not in between meals, she said, and children should brush right afterward as well as floss at least once daily to limit the amount of time food spends on teeth. And it’s not just sweet treats that need to be eaten sparingly; foods with cariogenic (caries-inducing) sugars include snacks such as potato chips and crackers, she added.

Teeth can face other risks besides caries and acid exposure, Jenks said. Extremely sticky or gooey snacks, such as caramels or dried fruit, can stick on teeth and cause long periods of acid wear. The snacks also can adhere to fillings, crowns or the wires of braces and pull them out of place, causing painful and expensive problems. Crunching on hard candies such as jawbreakers can break a filling or crack a weakened tooth, she said.

“For those who are worried, a safer treat would be something like plain chocolate, which isn’t too gooey or sticky, isn’t too hard and can be easily cleaned away with brushing and flossing,” Jenks said.

To help make the holiday a little less terrifying for teeth, Jenks encouraged those welcoming trick-or-treaters this Halloween to hand out treats with noncariogenic sweeteners, such as xylitol, or alternative goodies such as stickers, small toys, art supplies and other inexpensive novelties.

“When purchasing treats, remember to ask, ‘would I want my own kids to eat this?’ ” Jenks said. “There are many other tooth-friendly options that can be bought at discount shops or dollar stores at a similar cost.”

In celebration of Halloween, the USC School of Dentistry Pediatric Clinic will offer a Candy Buy Back Event for its current and new patients the week of Nov. 3. Children will be encouraged to drop off their Halloween candy and in return, receive a small toy.