By Dean L. Jones, C.P.M.<\/p>\n
The US candy manufacturing industry includes an estimated 1,600 companies with combined annual revenue exceeding $20 billion.\u00a0 That is serious money that Americans traditionally give away in abundance\u00a0to the most vulnerable population (innocent children) as detrimental tooth killers for their unhindered consumption.\u00a0 Commonly, adults ignore the obvious bacterium that sets up in a child\u2019s mouth from eating candy, primarily from processed sugar.\u00a0 Bacteria from sugar will take away the protective enamel on teeth, which can never be replaced.<\/p>\n
The tradition of passing out sweet treats at Halloween does not embrace giving sweet fruit.\u00a0 If I were to trick or treat today and could come home with a bag of fresh fruit it would make my year.\u00a0 Dream on, because I know how society has convinced the givers and receivers to indulge in an exchange of candy.\u00a0 Even though everyone knows that candy works at ruining the teeth\u2019s protective enamel.<\/p>\n
So, since we are not likely to change tradition, we can at least choose between candies that are less harmful than others.\u00a0 Remember the Ohio Players singing \u2018Sweet Sticky Thing\u2019 and it may prompt you to discard the worst candy, like taffy bars.\u00a0 These types of candies stick to all the nooks and crannies in your teeth, allowing the bacterium that resides in the mouth to feast on the residue for an extended amount of time.\u00a0 Even after brushing, the taffy lingers in micro-sized areas to erode enamel, as the longer bacteria can feed on it, the more it produces cavity-causing acid.<\/p>\n
Likewise, those candies related to blow pops are similarly evil, along with powdery treats like Pixie Stix, which are unadulterated sugar. \u00a0Plus, unnaturally colored candies have chemicals that are bodily ill-intentioned.\u00a0 Gummi Bears, Twizzlers, Tootsie Rolls, Skittles, sour candies and lollipops are examples of candies that stay in the mouth for a long time, which is bad for teeth because it has a higher acidic content that breaks down tooth enamel.<\/p>\n
Powdery candy such as Pixie Stix dissolves quickly in the mouth and thereby does not require any chewing, except<\/span> it contains nothing but processed sugar and can lead to cavities by changing the mouth’s PH level (a measure of the acidity) and giving bacteria nothing but straight sugar to eat.<\/p>\n If you are going to eat candy, consider something like a plain chocolate candy, such as a Hershey kiss, because the sugary residue is more likely to wash away with the mouth’s saliva.\u00a0 In the same way, a Kit Kat bar is basically chocolate over a cookie base that stands a better chance to be cleaned from the teeth.<\/p>\n Ideally, I still push for changing tradition and to pass out bags of fruit.\u00a0 There are advantages of eating slices of apple with the peal because it helps in getting out candy residue.<\/p>\n