1. Sticky Candies
Toffees, caramels, taffy, and any types of gummy candies, will increase the chance of getting cavities, tooth decay, or gum problems. Due to their consistency, the sugar will remain stuck on the teeth and they will faster bacteria. The bacteria will then eat away at the enamel on the teeth and you will have a dentist appointment on your hands.
Not only that, but even with brushing and flossing, some parts of these candies are hell to get rid of. Do yourself a favor and try to avoid giving them too often to the children in your family. Surprisingly, as healthy as they are, dried fruits also enter this category, due to the concentrated amount of sugar in them and their stickiness.
2. Hard Candies
Not only do they contain a lot of sugar that deteriorates teeth, but they also do so in a very slow way. Probably worse than the sticky candy, the hard candies take a lot of time to dissolve, effectively softening the enamel which will more easily pave the way for tooth decay and cavities.
Not only that, but dentists also warn against them as when children get bored of waiting for the candy to melt they more often than not try to bite down on them to make them smaller, which can easily lead to a broken tooth. No one is saying to not let your kids have fun with them, but it’s better to keep these candies as an occasional treat.
3. Sour Candies
Possibly one of the biggest offenders, as they not only contain a lot of sugar but more often than not a large quantity of citric acid. Due to the high acidic nature of the sour candies, they start to decalcify the teeth and break them down, the more sour the candy the faster it happens! Sour Patch Kids, Wonka Fun Dip, and Pixy Stix powder are the biggest offenders in this category.
Because they have a dual tooth attacking way of operating, from the sugar and the acid, try to avoid these candies at all times, and if you give in make sure they are not too many and never let your kids immediately wash their teeth after eating them. Instead of getting rid of the acid, it would be pushing the acid into the teeth as opposed to getting rid of it!
