The Best and Worst Halloween Candy for Kids

Every Halloween, children of all ages jump at the chance to dress us in their favorite costumes and go door to door for some sweet treats. The thing is, much to parents’ (and dentists’) dismay, all that candy isn’t exactly good for kids’ teeth or energy levels.

But not to worry! While you’d probably prefer your child munch on carrots rather than candy, you can pick out the better options from their trick-or-treat buckets.

Chocolate

Everyone loves a good piece of chocolate! Plain chocolate, such as a classic Hershey’s bar, is one of the best options to let your child snack on around Halloween time because it washes off your teeth more easily than most other candies. Plus, if your child prefers dark chocolate over milk chocolate, that’s even better since dark chocolate has less sugar.

Dissolving Candies

Powdery candies that dissolve quickly in your child’s mouth aren’t too bad because they don’t spend too much time near your child’s teeth. However, the downside to these candies is that they are typically pure sugar — hence why they dissolve so quickly — and that much sugar is never good for your child’s teeth.

Sour Candy

While your child may spit these out after a minute or two because the sour taste is too much for their little taste buds, sour candies can do harm to their teeth quickly. Sour candies are more acidic than sweet ones, and that acid can wear down tooth enamel.

Hard Candy

Not only can hard candy crack your child’s teeth, but it also spends a lot more time in your child’s mouth since they will typically suck on the candy until it breaks down. That gives all the sugar in the candy plenty of time to coat your child’s teeth.

Sticky Candy

Taffy, caramels, and other sticky candies are the worst candies your child could munch on. These candies stick to every surface on your child’s teeth and allow all the sugar to collect bacteria and form cavities on your child’s teeth.

At Miss Sue’s Nursery School, our prime educational goal is the development of the whole child — socially, emotionally, physically and educationally. A multi-sensory, holistic approach to learning is provided through play, art, music and physical activities. To learn more about the school and give your child the best pre-k experience, give us a call at 516-938-0894.