Worst Halloween candy for kids’ teeth ranked by pediatric dentists

With Halloween just around the corner, households across the country are bracing for a massive influx of sugar. But pediatric dentists warn that the type of candy kids bring home matters just as much as the quantity eaten.

8 worst candy for teeth

What we know:

To help parents sort through the trick-or-treat bags, Kids Smiles, a nonprofit pediatric dental practice, has ranked the worst Halloween candy for your kids' dental health.

1. Sticky and chewy candy: (Gummy worms, Gummy bears, Now & Later) Sticky candies are the worst offenders because they stubbornly cling to the grooves of the teeth, and possess enough sticky force to pull out fillings, crowns, or space maintainers.

2. Sour candy: (Sour Patch Kids, Warheads, sour gummy worms) Sour candies pack a dangerous double punch: excessive sugar combined with high acidity. 

3. Taffy and caramels: (Laffy Taffy, Werther's Original Soft Caramels, caramel-filled chocolates) Similar to gummy candies, taffy and caramels are almost entirely sugar and cling to the teeth for extended periods.

4. Hard candy: (Jolly Ranchers, Dum-Dums, Tootsie Pops, Blow Pops) Because hard candies dissolve slowly, they keep teeth bathed in sugar for prolonged periods, effectively turning the mouth into an acid bath. Additionally, biting down on them too soon can cause teeth to crack or chip.

5. Licorice and fruit chews: (Twizzlers, Skittles, fruit roll-ups, Starburst) These chewy treats linger between teeth long after the candy is swallowed, keeping the residual sugar in direct contact with the enamel.

6. Powdery and pure-sugar candy: (Pixy Stix, SweeTarts, sour powder candies) While they dissolve rapidly, powdery candies deliver a highly concentrated dose of sugar and acid directly to the mouth, which can rapidly erode the protective enamel layer.

7. Candy corn: A Halloween staple, candy corn is prone to lodging tightly between teeth, leaving sugar trapped against the enamel where decay can easily take hold.

8. Chocolate with caramel or nougat fillings (Snickers, Twix, Milky Way) While plain chocolate washes away easily, the sticky, chewy confections hidden inside these popular candy bars linger on the teeth long after the chocolate has melted.

The safer pick

The other side:

If you are looking for the least damaging treat in the Halloween bag, pediatric dentists recommend plain chocolate. It clears from the mouth much faster than sticky or hard candy. 

Dark chocolate is the best option of all, as it contains significantly less sugar than its milk chocolate counterpart.

How to protect your child's teeth this Halloween

What you can do:

Pediatric dentists with Kids Smiles recommend implementing a strategic approach to managing the candy haul rather than banning it entirely.

• Pair candy with mealtime: Saliva production naturally increases during meals. Eating candy as a dessert helps wash away sugar and neutralize decay-causing acids.
• Rinse with water: If brushing immediately after a treat isn't possible, having your child drink a glass of water will help flush away residual sugar.
• Sort the candy bowl: Take inventory of the haul and separate the relatively safe plain chocolates from the sticky, sour, and hard candies that pose the greatest risk.
• Consider non-candy giveaways: Handing out stickers, small toys, or pencils allows families to participate in the fun of trick-or-treating while limiting neighborhood sugar exposure.
• Build a consistent routine: The most effective long-term defense against decay is brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, flossing, and visiting a pediatric dentist regularly.
• Clear out the leftovers: Set a firm cutoff date for Halloween candy consumption, and consider donating the excess to a local organization.

What they're saying:

Dentists say the most significant threat to a child's dental health isn't Halloween itself, but the lingering habits that follow.

"One night of trick-or-treating causes far less damage to kids' teeth than the weeks of leftover candy that follow it," said Dr. Lucienne Pino, pediatric dentist and clinical director at Kids Smiles. "It's not Halloween night that is of concern; it's that bowl of candy sitting on the kitchen counter throughout the month of November."