Parents are always weighing the pros and cons of candy exposure for their children. Of course you want your children to enjoy the holiday, but at what cost to their oral health? Today we’d like to explain what happens when your kids enjoy sugary candies.

When you eat or drink starchy or sugary foods, you’re not only feeding yourself, you’re feeding the bacteria in your mouth which contributes to tooth decay and plaque buildup. The sugary foods serve as fuel for bacteria that live in plaque, and the byproduct of their sugar metabolization is acid, which weakens your tooth enamel. To make it simpler, avoid any food that combines sugar, acid, and stickiness. That includes chewy candies like Starburst and Skittles.

Before you trick-or-treat or allow the kids to indulge in sugary snacks, consider that they’re feeding the bacteria in their mouths! You can, of course, indulge in some candy, but be sure to teach the kids to brush 20 minutes following their candy-eating session!