How Candy Can Cause Oral Bacteria To Spread

Posted October 28, 2020

The leaves are changing colors and falling to the ground, the weather has gotten significantly cooler, and Fall is officially upon us. With Halloween just around the corner, we are officially in the holiday season. The only thing on most children’s minds, more likely than not, is trick-or-treating, and finding out what this year’s haul will bring them in the form of goodies and sweet treats. Because of this, we at Pediatric Dental Care in Casa Linda in Dallas, Texas want to provide some important information on candy and your child’s oral health so that you can celebrate the holidays safely.

Sweet Treats Feed Oral Bacteria

When thinking about your child’s oral health, one thing that often comes to mind is the phrase that “candy will rot your teeth.” In moderation, of course, this can be maintained and prevented. But what is actually occurring that makes candy bad for your smile?

Oral bacteria develop in and around the teeth naturally. When you ingest a sweet treat, the sugar it contains is an active ingredient that organisms such as bacteria actually feed on. Sugar causes bacteria to secrete harmful acids that then begin to break down and deteriorate the structure of your tooth, causing sensitivity and reduction of strength. If this continues, cavities can develop as well as other threatening conditions that could potentially damage your smile, resulting in needing a dental filling to restore the tooth. For these reasons, making sure to brush and floss regularly is crucial in order to keep your child’s grin happy and healthy

The Wear-Down of Enamel and Decreased Tooth Strength

Your teeth naturally have protective measures built into their function, including a layer of enamel that is meant to protect your teeth from harm. Enamel can actually be worn down, however, and is usually done so by either harmful bacteria or ingesting substances with high acid contents, such as coffee or citrus juices. Once enamel is worn away or gone, there is not much protecting your teeth from the harm of other threats to your oral health. If allowed to progress to a dangerous level, this could even result in needing to have your child’s tooth extracted. For these reasons, we advocate sweets and goodies in moderation.

Maintaining Safe Holiday Practices

Now more than ever it is pertinent to keep you and your family safe, and that includes your oral health during the holiday season. Candy and sweets are fine in moderation, but knowing the potential consequences of overindulging and not maintaining good oral health habits can be detrimental to your child’s grin. To learn more about safe practices to help protect your family, please contact Pediatric Dental Care in Casa Linda in Dallas, Texas today at  (214) 321-4880.