Halloween Candies You Must Avoid (Plus Alternatives)

Are your costumes, decorations and props ready for the exciting trick-or-treating to come? We’re getting nearer to Halloween and with it comes the joy of kids knocking door-to-door, showing off their costumes, and collecting the goodies. You might as well prepare now and join the fun! But amidst the hilarity, dentists in Makati still remind parents and children alike to take all sweets moderately, or dental horrors would find their way to their pearly whites!

Sugary treats are sticky to the mouth and cause naturally occurring oral bacteria to feed on sugar then create an acid attack on your oral cavity. This acid then weakens your enamel, the protective layer of your teeth, which leads to cavities and decay. Thus, we’re giving you a rundown of sweets that you must watch out for. Read on and enjoy Halloween without compromising you and your children’s dental health!

What To Avoid

Halloween is a great time to teach your kids about how to prevent cavities, sort their loot, and make healthier choices. To help you with that, here are some sweets which usually come with colorful wrappers and are undeniably mouthwatering, but one must have limited consumption of.

· Sticky/Chewy/Gummy Candies – Be picky if it’s sticky, chewy or gummy. These kinds of candies are among the worst offenders because they linger in your mouth longer. They feed bacteria give it additional time to cause an acid attack and tooth decay. Plus, some are also sticky enough to get stuck in the crevices of the teeth and sticky and strong enough to pull out fillings, bridges, or braces.

· Hard Candies – Hard candies such as lollipops and jawbreakers can chip off the teeth and damage dental braces especially if you’re not careful. Plus, children tend to dissolve these kinds of candies in the mouth for longer periods, producing more acid and weakening the enamal more.

· Sour Candies – Other kids aren’t big fans sweet treats and go for super-sour candies that can make one pucker up. However, professional dentists in Makati emphasize that sour candies tend to have higher acidic content that breaks the tooth enamel even more and makes the teeth vulnerable to dental erosion and cavities.

The Alternatives

Although many sweets have risks to our pearly whites, there are still candies that you can enjoy without worrying about sugar and acidity. Here are some Halloween treats which are better for the teeth that dentist from Makati may also alternatively recommend:

· Sugar-Free Candies – Sugar-free candies don’t harm the teeth the same way traditional candies do. They help stimulate saliva and help prevent dry mouth to suppress plaque buildup and potential cavities. These are also good for neutralizing acids of the mouth.

· Chocolates – Chocolates, especially the dark ones are rich in antioxidants that are good for the heart. Plus, they are not sticky to the mouth and can be easily washed away by saliva. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about potential acid attacks.

· Home-Made Treats – For Halloween, you can also skip all candies and create healthier treats for the kids. Take inspiration from this video:


Aside from making healthier treat choices this Halloween, it is also very crucial to monitor your kids’ oral hygiene. Teach them how to brush and floss properly. Plus, make time to get their teeth checked by a professional dentist in Makati at least twice a year.