Don't be surprised if the doorbell rings soon and it's trick-or-treat time again! Because next week is Halloween and countless children in scary costumes will be on the lookout for sweets. However, the abundance of sugar in these can have a lasting negative effect on dental and oral health. That's why we've put together a range of healthier alternatives for you that will do children good in two ways.

Risks to dental health from sweets

First of all, we would like to briefly explain why exactly conventional sweets can pose a risk to your dental and oral health. The obvious reason is the high sugar content in many products. It acts as a food source for bacteria in the mouth, which produce acids due to increased sugar intake. These attack the tooth enamel and weaken it, leading to tooth decay and cavities in the enamel.

Sweets, fruit gums, caramel. Many sweets are also sticky. As a result, they often stick to the teeth for a long time after consumption, giving bacteria time to process the sugar and produce even more acid. Acidic sweets increasingly promote the erosion of tooth enamel.

Almost the same: sweets without added sugar

To snack with a clearer conscience, there is a selection of snacks and sweets that are less risky for dental health. For example, sugar-free or reduced-sugar foods. Dark chocolate (cocoa content of at least 70%), for example, has significantly less sugar than the whole milk variety. Many manufacturers replace sugar with substitutes that are no less nutritious for bacteria. These include sugar-free sweets, gummy bears and chewing gum. They are sweetened with substances such as xylitol, erythritol or similar and are less caries-promoting than the variants with sugar.

Sweets from nature: fruit as delicious snacks

Fruit snacks are another option. Some fruit gums or fruit bars are made from pureed fruit and/or fruit juice and also contain no added sugar. If you like it really healthy, you can completely avoid packaged sweets and go straight for fruit.

Fruit is also delicious and sweet and often full of vitamins and minerals. They contain no refined sugar and offer fewer food sources for caries-causing bacteria. The high water content of apples, pears and watermelons also stimulates salivation, which can have a positive effect on dental health.
However, as with all other sweets, the same applies to fruit: always enjoy in moderation. After all, fructose is also sugar. In addition, many types of fruit such as oranges, apples and berries have a high acid content and can therefore also attack tooth enamel and make it susceptible to bacteria.

Do you have questions about nutrition and dental and oral health? We will be happy to advise you as part of a prophylaxis treatment!