Halloween is Thursday, October 31, which means costumed kids of all ages will be out and about searching for candy.
Does candy cause cavities?
Blue Ridge Dental’s Dr. Mark Dlugokinsi says it’s not the quantity of sugar people eat but, rather, the “prolonged exposure to sugar over time that will give you cavities.”
He suggests, “When your little trick-or-treaters get home, let your kids eat as much of their candy treats that night as they want. They may get a tummy ache, but they will not get cavities from eating all that candy in a single night.”
Furthermore, he advises to let children enjoy the candy throughout the weekend. However, “Come Monday morning, throw away any left over candy,” he said.
Rationing out candy, as he says many parents choose to do in an effort to reduce the chances of a cavity, may actually cause a cavity.
Dlugokinski said, “Not wanting to waste and throw away perfectly good candy, they ration out the candy over the next few weeks or if not perhaps the next few months. This is the worst sugar habit a parent could do to their child’s teeth, and will likely start the very thing they are trying to avoid – a cavity!”
Dlugokinski added that Christmas is just around the corner and that the same concept applies to Christmas treats as well.