Halloween tips from dentists

Have you ever wondered what dentists give out on Halloween? The answers are in.

Sixty percent of dentists give out candy at Halloween, according to Delta Dental’s 2011 Tricky Treats survey of over 250 dentists. Nearly one out of four dentists do not hand out anything on Halloween, while 5% hand out toothbrushes.

Of those who hand out candy, 79% choose chocolate, while just 13% hand out varieties like hard candy or lollipops. And there’s a good reason for their choice of treats.

Time is of the essence when it comes to teeth and sugar, so not all candy is equally scary. Chewy treats and hard candy are particularly damaging because they spend a prolonged amount of time stuck to teeth and are more difficult for teeth to break down. Sweets like chocolate that quickly dissolve in the mouth and can be eaten easily lessen the amount of time sugar stays in contact with teeth.

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