Saint-Antoine – Halloween is the time for sweet treats, but if we’re not careful, it can lead to tooth decay problems.

“Everyone’s mouth has bacteria, and bacteria causes cavities. This happens any time your mouth is acidic,” said Dr. Derrick Cantu, a pediatric dentist in San Antonio. “By constantly snacking on the candy, this bacteria will be active the entire time you eat it. If you have just one Skittle or M&M, although we don’t blame Skittles or Eminem’s, every hour, your mouth can be sour for eight hours.

He is quick to point out the American Dental Association, who says not all candy is created equal; some are better than others when it comes to causing cavities.

Avoid sticky candies like gummies, which can get stuck in your teeth and stay there for a long time.

Also avoid sour candies, which have a lot of acidity, which increases the risk of cavities due to the acidity they create in our saliva and mouth and which can lead to cavities.

Chocolate, pretzels, and crackers are better options for preventing cavities. Chocolate does not stick to teeth and can dissolve quickly.

The best options are sugar-free gum and candies with the ADA seal. Eating a piece of gum 20 minutes after eating helps prevent tooth decay.

Cantu recommends getting rid of any lingering candy after a week or two to avoid long-term exposure to cavity-causing candy.

“We’re going to set a certain time limit on candy and a certain amount of candy,” he said. “And then before we go to bed, make sure we drink water to rinse off all the sticky candy, brush our teeth, and floss.”